Under the Red Umbrella
by Devonshire
Summary: What are you willing to sacrifice? Warning: AU, OOC, FUTURE LEMONS -  Ichiruki  - Alot of Ichihime   *Future M*
1. Chapter 1

**In a graveyard, far, far away, a coffin opens and a zombie-like corpse stands up in the darkness. **

**Me: I LIIIIIIVVVVE!**

**Yes, hello everyone! I have been resurrected from the dead. VERY long time, no see~ I just like to say that 'Raven Soul' has gone on a very long vacation and may be put up for adoption in the near future. But, eh, I'm not here to talk about that, this is my new story! :D**

**I've had this idea in my head for _months_ and so I've finally decided to write it down. Apologies for the grammar mistakes and all that shiz, but reviews are welcome!**

**This story is AU, but with recurring themes such as Shinigami and Arrancar and all that. It's based in a time that's not present - it could be the future, it could be the past - I'll let you decide :3**

**As a warning, this story will contain a very LARGE amount of Ichihime - but the underlying couple of the story is ICHIRUKI! Will true love provail? I'm such a sucker for these type of stories hahaha**

**It also may contain scenes of abuse, swearing, future lemons and rape, so this isn't a story for the faint hearted.**

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><p>"<em>Women fall in love with words. Men fall in love with looks. That's why women wear make-up and men lie."<em>

_-Anonymous_

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><p>1<p>

Morning light trickled through the small apartment window. It crawled over several discarded books and a few articles clothing thrown carelessly crumpled on the floor. Sunday morning approached the cream colored sheets on the bed, diving and creeping up the folds until it rested warmly on the left cheek of Rukia Kuchiki.

She was not at all ready to get up just yet. With a moan she pulled the sheets up over her face.

But she wasn't getting away with sleeping in that easily. Somewhere in the depth of her dreamless state she heard her bedroom door open. It was her sister, Orihime, ready to wake her little sister up.

Orihime. Hime. She was the world that Rukia revolved around.

Rukia felt her mattress dip. "Psst! Rukia! Wake up! Wake up!"

Orihime tried to fish the sheets away so she could see her sister's face. "I have something important to tell you!"

The sheets moved aside and a very tired and ruffled looking Rukia gazed slowly above her. Using the same hushed tone as Orihime she replied, "where _were_ you last night, Orihime? I stayed up waiting for you!"

"You heard me?" Orihime was slightly surprised.

Rukia rolled her eyes. "We sleep in the same room. I heard you escape out of the window and creep across the roof top."

Her cheeks slightly darkened. "Oh…well I left at midnight. A perfectly reasonable hour, mind you."

"It was four in the morning."

Orihime batted the subject away with her hand as if it wasn't why she was here. "You know why."

All Rukia thought of at that moment was to go back to sleep. She tried to imperceptibly snuggle back into her pillow. "Was it to see _him_ again?"

_Him_, being that stranger that Orihime met a few weeks ago by the river and couldn't stop talking about. Orihime knew that Rukia was…a little worried of the thought of her meeting up with him, alone, in the dark, by themselves…away from anyone if things went terribly wrong. But she also entrusted her little sister to keep it a secret. Not even her father knew. Yet.

At the mention of 'him' (Rukia actually didn't know his name), Orihime started swooning. She clasped her hands together, pushed out her large bust and fluttered her eyes lashes with a dreamy look upon her face. And for the thousandth time, she said, "He is so _handsome_, Rukia."

"That's what you said about Renji, when you tried to make me go out with him." Rukia made a gagging noise and looked the other way. Oh God, that was an experience she didn't want to have ever again. It was lucky enough after the second date when she broke up with him that they still talked.

"Hey!" Orihime pouted. "Renji _was_ handsome in his own way and he's your best friend. You shouldn't talk about him like that."

"I've just seen you're definition of 'handsome', Hime. No offense, but it's not really that great." _To be honest, I think you just randomly picked him so you wouldn't feel guilty that I was alone._ But she would never say that out loud.

Orihime huffed. She was, a part of her, slightly hurt that her little sister had such little faith in her judgment. So she did what she always did when she got hurt, she got defensive. "Well, Renji doesn't come anywhere _near_ as handsome as him! He is beautiful and kind and brilliant and _strong_. He is tall to! And nicely built! He is like a god compared to anyone else."

Rukia fully turned onto her stomach and muffled, "I'm glad."

Orihime pouted and looked down at her sister who was currently trying to ignore her. She leapt up on the bed and straddled her sister suddenly, squeezing her body with her sun-kissed thighs. Rukia yelped and twisted around. "What the hell are you doing?"

Then an onslaught of tickles attacked her and Rukia bucked and squirmed, giggling – yes, _giggling_ – and crying out in angry laughter. She clawed at her bedding to try and get away from Orihime's wicked hands but collapsed in defeat, half-heartedly tugging her hands away. "H-Hime! S-stop! AHAHAHA! Stop! Please! HAHAHAHA! OKAY! OKAY! I'm listening!"

They both pulled away, one holding a victorious grin. Rukia inwardly seethed inside, yet her heart softened. _Damn her for knowing she was ticklish._

"You promise?" It was such a childish thing to say, but somehow in the moment it was right.

Panting, she replied, "I'm listening."

And so Orihime went on and talked about the stranger who had wooed her. It was when she was talking, that the sunlight had hit her in the right spot.

It was that moment when Rukia saw her sister as something truly beautiful. Her auburn-burnt locks curled shapely across her cheekbones and rolled like a river down her back, lit up by the sun as if it was the sun itself. Her skin glowed a soft peach-honey color, sun-kissed and blessed by the summer. She was shapely too; her skin from her bare calves and exposed thighs shimmered slightly, peeking from the short yellow hem of her summer dress. The dress itself accentuated her assests, wrapping around her small waist and the flare of her womanly hips. It tightened hard against her large breasts, almost to the point of tearing the cotton-fabric apart, yet was done up by a simple bow. If Rukia new any better, if she tugged it, the top part of her dress would fall open.

She felt insignificantly small again, in more senses than one. Her sister's beauty was something that all women craved, that made her father proud, that made people like herself more self-conscious and aware of how they looked. And it was because of her effortless and accidental beauty that made Rukia jealous to the core.

She loved her sister to a point where she would just do anything for her. Rukia looked up to Orihime, like a puppy to its master. In her eyes, Orihime is perfect, a gem among the coal. She knew how to cook, sew, dance (several ways in fact) and to love. She was the perfect lover, woman, mother and sister. And for what she had did to Rukia almost several years ago that changed her fate, she was ever in debt to Orihime.

But there were times that Rukia wished they weren't sisters. For she would always compare herself with her and feel like she was never enough.

"Rukia," Orihime's voice was soft, just like a summer breeze. She tipped her head up and spied on the look of her sisters own grey eyes. Even her face was perfect. Full lips and a button nose with wide, large grey eyes filmed with black lashes. She couldn't help but to smile. Orihime was a jewel that Rukia would give her life up to protect.

Orihime blushed, if it was possible for her to blush even more. She looked down at Rukia, a small smile bloomed across her lips. At that moment, Rukia didn't realize that the next set of words that her sister was about to confess would change her life forever.

"I think I'm in love with him. He's the one. I-I just know it, Rukia. I can see myself getting old with him and having a family."

Rukia's eyes softened. The look on her sisters face was so warm and beautiful. "Are you sure?" Rukia replied. "Are you really willing to give yourself to him?"

Orihime nodded. "I would do anything for him."

"Anything?" Rukia teased.

She pouted again – oh how fitting it was on her face. To have an attention span of a child. "Like you would know! You're only a child and you've _never_ been in love!"

"What happens if I don't want to?" Rukia said, dramatically being dramatic to prove her points. "All those far-away stares into the sunsets. Being all gooey and kissy-kissy in public and saying mushy things like _'I wuv you, honey-buns~'_"

Orihime tugged on Rukia's bang in the middle of her head. "That was just one time!" she hissed. "Hisagi and I never spoke since! He broke up with me!"

Rukia slapped her hand away. "That's what I'm trying to get to, Hime. You told me you two were in love. You said that it was going to last forever. Didn't you give your virginity to him?"

Orihime looked down, embarrassed and annoyed. "I-it's not the same thing. I didn't truly_ love_ him…" she paused, sighed and replied, "you just wouldn't understand."

"No, I wouldn't." Rukia watched at the crestfallen look on her face. She knew what Orihime was thinking – she doubted herself again. Rukia wanted to laugh and sit her in front of a mirror. Yes, Orihime got self-conscious too – she was human and Rukia hated the fact that she didn't know how truly blessed she was. In a softer voice, one full of compassion and sibling love, she asked, "Hime. You truly love this guy, don't you?"

Orihime nodded and whispered, "I would die without him."

Rukia tensed. She never liked it when her sister overreacted, but somehow it felt like Orihime truly meant those words. Rukia smiled. Her sister deserved so many things and this was one of them. If God was kind enough, he would let this love last. "Then, I congratulate you both. When will I meet him?"

Orihime beamed. To hear those words from her little sister sent her heart soaring. "Soon, Rukia," she promised. "Soon."

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><p>Sunday was all about chores.<p>

The week following would always consist of the two sister's bargaining to each other with who did what chores. It would involve betting, placing money ("I'll give you twenty dollars if you do my chores this week!"), or giving the other something that the other one craved. ("You know those strawberry puffs I make at work? I'll give you one if you do the laundry!") It was how they chose who would do what.

This week, Rukia had to get the groceries.

It was Orihime's job to begin with, but the older sister had forgotten that she already made plans with her friends and begged her little sister to do her shopping.

And because of that confession Orihime made to Rukia this morning, that was payment enough. Her sister's happiness was more valuable than anything anyone could give her.

So Rukia had dressed in the only Sunday dress she owned. It was pale blue, with beautiful white cotton flowers that bloomed along the hem. Small pearl colored buttons lined together and did up the dress down the front. The dress itself was sleeveless, with thin braided straps. It was tight around her bust and flared at her hips. It matched her pale skin perfectly. It was one of the rare dresses that didn't make her look sickly white. And if she twirled enough, the hem of the dress would billow up like a parachute.

She left her hair down, brushed it and clipped back the insufferable bang that hung stubbornly between her eyes. She slipped on some nude ballet shoes and gave her reflection a long, hard, stare.

She was petite for her age, but she wasn't midget sized. Yet, she hated how her body looked. Secretly loathed the way her breasts weren't as large as Orihime's or her hips weren't as full as hers. But she did have curves. She had a tiny waist, with the soft dip of womanly hips. Her breasts weren't large, but modest. The only thing she liked about her body was her legs. They were long for someone with her height and shapely from all the exercise that she did.

And her face. Don't get her started on her face. Her lips were full yes, but her nose was disproportionally small and her eyes were too large. They weren't as soft and caring as Orihime's. She had a look of steel, with eyes the colors of twilight violet. If she angled herself in the right way, it would look like they held a thousand stars in them, sparkling in the light. But that always took practice and she didn't bother.

Rukia grabbed the money that the family kept for food and grabbed the shopping list that they all wrote down on during the week. She glanced down at the writing, all different from everyone who wrote on it. _Milk, bread, eggs, tomatoes, canned ham, noodles, chocolate syrup, vodka._

She caught the train into town. Karakura wasn't the prettiest of towns. It had its fair share of crime like any other city, but it was a good place. The streets were clean and the people were nice. You could tell that the government tried to keep it pretty. There were a lot of plants everywhere. The city park was the icon of Karakura.

She got off the train after lunch and walked down three blocks. There were a lot of people out, enjoying the summer and shopping. She wondered if she would bump into Orihime down at the mall, or see someone she knew from school. Her stomach growled and Rukia frowned. She forgot she didn't have breakfast this morning.

At the corner of one of the streets, was a newspaper boy. He was standing on a box with one hand above his head, holding the latest _Karakura Times_ and the other cupped around his mouth as he bellowed, "Extra! Extra! The Winter War still goes after thirty years! Both the Arrancar and Shinigami still at War! Is the War coming to Karakura? Read all about it!"

_War? In Karakura?_ Rukia thought as she walked up to the boy. Most people were walking past them, ignoring them both, too busy with their work to even bother to give them a second look.

As she approached, she noticed that the boy looked barely eleven years of age. His face was smudged with dirt and his cotton top, trousers and bracers were dirty as well. He was wearing a chimneysweepers hat, grey and faded. Rukia couldn't help but to empathize with him. She used to be just like him when she was a little girl.

Rukia pulled out four coins and gave it to the boy. "Just one please."

He blinked at her, obviously confused. _Can't she know how to add up money?_ "A newspaper is just one coin, ma'am."

Rukia shrugged. "I don't really need it."

He jumped off the box he was standing on and pulled open the wooden lid. Inside were more than a dozen freshly printed _Karakura Times_. He fished one out and passed it to her. He was almost shy. "Ah…thank you ma'am."

"You'll find that having a break and eating something will do you good," Rukia said, tucking the newspaper under her arm.

The boy gave her a quizzical look and Rukia's eyes softened, "I used to be like you when I was a kid. I know what it's like."

"R-really?" the little boy replied, obviously gaping. _How can a woman so pretty like her used to live on the streets?_ "W-well I've got work to do…so…"

"What's your name?"

"Ah… Yukio," he replied shly.

"Thank you, Yukio."

His face was now a shade of deep red. He gave her an awkward bow and stood back up on the box, clearing his throat. Rukia started to walk again, hearing the boy shouting out his call with a slightly squeaky tone. She smiled but for some reason couldn't help but to shake off the bad feeling she suddenly got by Yukio.

Before she could think more of it, her stomach gave a loud growl. To her embarrassment, a few people passing by looked her way. _Okay, okay! I'll go get something to eat!_

Rukia fanned herself with the newspaper and ducked across the street and through the park. It was hot – _boiling_ hot. Even sitting in the shade it was still warm. She was becoming dizzy, both from the heat and not eating. Her eyes scanned the park as she walked through it, her stomach protesting. She was so hungry, she almost contemplated eating some of the berries off the bushes but thought against it. _I should've just gone back to one of the stores near the train station._

But there was something about this place – the time. A summer breeze ruffled her hair and Rukia glanced up to the sun filtering through the leaves of the trees above her. There was something in the air. _Am I going to remember this day forever?_

If she was pulled by the strings of fate, she wouldn't have known. If it was chance, she would have no say. So many things she remembers, yet equally there were those that she had forgotten. She remembered the first time she stole a piece of bread. Remembered the first time she was alone during a thunderstorm. She remembers the searing pain of being tattooed with a Death Number on her lower back.

Rukia remembers the day when the Inoue's adopted her.

Funny how those memories came with emotions that were so strong that she couldn't forget them even if she tried. Exhilaration, when she stole the bread. Fear, when she was alone. Pain, when she was cast out. Being loved, when she was welcomed into a family. Was it because of the extreme emotions that were etched in her mind and scarred on her body that she remembers?

_Would today be the same? Would something happen that I will remember?_

Rukia bypasses a couple cuddling on a bench and her thoughts fall back to Orihime. Her sister is happy, she can tell. Rukia is happy for her too. _When am I going to meet him? She said soon, but how soon? Is father going to approve?_

Speaking of her father, she hadn't seen him much during this week. He had been busy with work and didn't come home much so Rukia and Orihime had to look after the house. Will he be home tonight?

Finally, the park path turns into a street. There is a bus shelter underneath some trees several feet away and an ice-cream van parked on the curb. Once again, her stomach growls and Rukia suddenly craves ice cream.

She waited in line, behind three other children who were waiting just as eagerly for their cold sweet. The man in the van was finishing the third ice cream so Rukia took the time to look at what flavors were available on a little blackboard nailed to the side of the van. When it was her turn, she stepped up to the counter.

"Hello, miss, what can I get for you?" the ice-cream man asked.

"Can I have a double scoop of the boysenberry and chocolate," Rukia said rather breathlessly. "Please."

"No problem," the ice-cream man replied and disappeared out of sight to make her ice cream.

Rukia waited patiently and stepped to the side to let another kid behind her up to the counter. No sooner, the ice-cream man came back, holding out her treat. "5 coin please, miss."

She fished out the money from the purse and exchanged it for her ice cream. She thanked him and hurried off to find a spot to sit down and eat.

The bus shelter was a perfect place for her. It was shaded _and_ had an empty bench. She walked over; licking the ice cream that had already began to dribble down the cone and paper napkin. Sitting down, she placed the newspaper and purse to the side, licking proudly at her ice cream in peace.

Then she gazed up across the street.

He was standing there, a striking contrast to the pale bright wall lit up by the sun. He was wearing a soldier's uniform that Rukia had never seen before. It was a deep navy color, military jacket with two rows of black buttons, all done up to the top. The collar was pressed flat and up, with a thin gold trimming. The pants were the same color as the jacket, close fitting, with a blood red sash hanging on the side. The black boots were lazily tied. Across his chest was another black sash, clipped with a broach that Rukia had never seen before – holding a very large and menacing Zanpakutō behind his back.

But it wasn't his uniform or the size of the Zanpakutō that caught her attention.

It was his hair. It was bright orange, like the sun, burning like a flame in the darkness, luring all to its light. At first Rukia thought, _how absurd. Who the hell dyes their hair that color?_

_Da-Thump._

Was it getting hotter? Rukia lifted a hand up to her cheek, surprised to find it burning. She felt like she was suffocating, even though the air was calm and fine. She couldn't take her eyes off of him and was he… was he staring at _her?_

She narrowed her eyes before reluctantly moving her gaze carefully around her so she didn't look like a fool. There was no one else anywhere around her. She sliced her vision back to him, his calm stance, leaning against the wall with him hands in his pocket. Just _staring._

It was unnerving, but Rukia couldn't help to feel butterflies in her stomach. _It's absurd. What the hell is he looking at?_

Rukia jumped when the bus suddenly stopped in front of her. She instantly stood up; her heart racing to look for him but the bus obscured her view. "Dammit," she muttered darkly. A sense of panic fell on her. She couldn't see him, she _wanted_ to see him. For reasons she didn't know.

"Hey lady!" snapped the bus driver, through the open door, which startled Rukia even more. "Are you getting on or not?"

"Ah…" she took a step back and shook her head. The bus driver snapped something and slammed the door, roaring off back into traffic.

Rukia sat back down, her head spinning and heart racing. _What…the…hell…is…happening? Is she sick or something? Did that guy put something in her ice-cream?_ She lifted her gaze back across the street, but her heart suddenly dropped. He wasn't there anymore.

Rukia searched the other side of the street some more. Maybe it was her imagination, yes, her imagination. She didn't know she was very imaginative. Or maybe it was the heat. Yeah, it could be the heat…

She felt an ice cold sensation on her hand and glanced down to see that her ice cream had melted everywhere. "Shit!" she cried, taking the cone in the other hand and licking the melted substance off the other. But the ice cream continued to drip, ruining her dress and Rukia cursed again, stood up and threw the blasted thing into the bin.

She sat back down defeated and sticky, wiping the ice-cream to no avail off her dress. She leaned her head back and groaned. _This wasn't her day at all…_

A movement caught her eye as a figure approached the bench. The hairs on her arm rose like hackles and she curiously looked over before doubling over in a fit of coughs.

Sitting there casually like nothing was wrong was the soldier from across the road. Rukia had only taken a second to look at the side of his face and instantly felt herself get wet. He _was_ handsome – no h-he was absolutely, mouthwateringly _sexy!_ Rukia covered her mouth, eyes wide with realization as the butterflies caused havoc in her body and her face heated up quicker than the core of a firework. _Oh my god! What am I thinking?_

"Hey, are you alright?"

_Oh GOD! Even his voice is sexy!_ Rukia – still averting her gaze nodded once. _Okay, Rukia. You need to calm down or he's gonna freak out. You're not a pubescent teen – you're a woman! Get your head straight!_ Mentally, Rukia nodded, feeling herself calm as she gave herself the pep talk. When she felt like she was in the safe, she straightened herself up and cleared her throat, resuming a very lady-like and controlled stance. Hoping her voice didn't crack, which it did…several times, she replied, "Yes, I'm quite fine, thank you. I just get an allergic reaction to some of the flowers they have here in the garden."

"Then perhaps you should sit somewhere that doesn't give a reaction to your allergies?" he asked, still remaining to stare straight ahead.

Rukia glanced over to him more calmly, hiding her fists in her lap. She quietly studied his face and replied softly, "well yes. But there isn't any other shade around."

"You can always go sit in a nice cafe. I passed several on my way here."

His skin was absolutely flawless, sun-kissed and tanned. Rukia's eyes slipped to his jawline, strong and chiseled, against the thick tendons of his neck. His nose was sharp and sculpted, just like the rest of his features. His skin stretched over his high cheekbones, crinkling beautifully in the soft scowl he wore. Even his eyebrows and lashes were perfect. His dark lashes feathers his eyes beautifully. She searched his face again, her eyes falling on his lips, full but not too full, but still beautiful. Even his hair fell against his face perfectly, ruffled and wild, slightly long that it covered his eyes but parted perfectly in messy bangs from his vision. Rukia wanted to reach out and touch him, to see for herself what he felt like underneath her.

She didn't realize she was staring until she felt his heated gaze on her Her breath was caught in her throat, they were like the color of honey-gold, like pools of his soul that drew you into their depths. He smirked a little and Rukia snapped her gaze away, frowning. "Wouldn't you get in trouble if you're not working on patrol?"

"Who said I was going to join you?" he replied slyly, the smirk still there.

Rukia blushed hard. Dammit, she slipped. She turned away awkwardly. "Forgive me, but that was the impression I got."

He chuckled, drawing Rukia in again and leaned back casually on the bench. "Well, conveniently enough I already finished my patrol today until I head back to the barracks."

"Oh." _'Oh?' Rukia? Is that ALL you can come up with?_ Mental slap.

He yawned and stretched out. Rukia looked down at his legs. They were thick and strong and very long. Propped up against the bus shelter was his Zanpakutō and it was very large. She couldn't help but to gulp inwardly. The soldier looked over to her and asked, "What are you up to this evening?"

Her memories flooded back. "Shit!" Rukia jumped up and grabbed her wallet and paper. The soldier stood up too, his brow furrowing and Rukia turned to talk to him – but his chest came into view. She took a step back, her cheeks burning.

_Damn. He's tall too. _"I forgot, I was meant to get some groceries. For tonight. My sister was meant to get them, but I promised her that I will. Shit! Do you have the time?"

Amused by her panic, the soldier pushed the cuff of his jacket up on his left arm to look at his watch. "It's almost three."

"Great! Just great!" Rukia threw her hands up into the air. The only local grocery store closes at 2:30 on a Sunday. Why? She had no fucking idea. She slumped back onto the bench in defeat. Her family is going to _kill_ her when she gets back with no food.

The soldier sat down next to her, closer than before and leant over so that his elbows were on his knees. Rukia didn't even feel how his jacket brushed against her arm. She was too busy trying to calm herself down to even notice. Besides… the closeness felt…right with him.

"Hey, hey, hey," he reminded her softly. "Look, here's what I can do. The grocery store is two blocks away, right? I can come with you and talk to the owner and you can get your groceries. Deal?"

Rukia lifted her head up and looked at him. "You… you would do that?" Then she narrowed her eyes. "What's the catch?"

"I'll help you carry the groceries home." The cocky smirk returned.

"Does this always work with every woman you meet?" Rukia asked, feeling a little self-conscious at how close his face was from hers.

He chuckled and stood up. "You tell me. You're the first."

Rukia scoffed and stood up stiffly. "Do you always get this cocky?"

He shrugged again. "Only when the women are difficult to read. Come on, let's go."

They walked together down to the grocery store, Rukia making sure she kept a good distance from him on the pathway. A few people stopped and stared when they passed and Rukia inwardly sighed. _So I'm not the only one that finds him attractive._

They arrived at the grocery store, and to Rukia's luck it was closed. But the soldier just knocked on the door and talked to the owner, who reluctantly agreed to open just for them and let them inside. They both scavenged through the aisles, Rukia shopping as quickly as she could so the manager wouldn't have to stay longer than was necessary. The soldier helped too: he also bought a few more things that Rukia rose a brow at. Matches, canned vegetables and even some sugar and flour. He also bought a chocolate bar specially for Rukia. When Rukia asked him what they were for, he just told her that the War was closer than everyone thought.

They argued at the counter at who was going to pay for the items, the soldier eventually won the argument and paid for the lot explaining to Rukia that she needed to save that money and he had plenty of it to cover for her expenses. They got the groceries and Rukia bowed and thanked the manager before they both headed out, the soldier carried two paper bags of food while Rukia carried one.

They were heading back to the train station when Rukia passed the corner where Yukio was now sitting on the crate, tired and exhausted.

"Hey! Yukio!" Rukia called. The little boy's head snapped up to his name and searched the crowd. His eyes eventually landed on Rukia's approaching form and smiled. But the smile faltered when he laid eyes on the soldier.

"Oh, uh, hello again," Yukio replied shyly, standing up and looking nervously between the pair. Rukia smiled.

"Well, did you do what I told you to do?" she asked him. Yukio nodded reluctantly, his eyes only staring at the soldier. The soldier narrowed his eyes at him.

She shifted the bag so it rested in one arm and turned to the soldier. She peeked into the top of one bag. Getting the notion quickly, he leant over as Rukia quickly explored the belongings.

He was rather curious as to why she was suddenly rummaging through the food he bought for her and her family. Was she going to give the homeless kid something to eat? Out of her own food? Didn't she realize that she would be scavenging for food herself in the next few months?

Rukia noticed his hardened gaze and cocked her head. But she didn't ask him why because at that moment her hands wrapped around the hard small package of chocolate bar. She smiled and turned to Yukio with the treat in hand. "Here, have this." She nudged the bar towards the boy who only looked up cautiously at her, hands twitching as if he was contemplating whether to take it or not. "I don't need it," Rukia coaxed in a tone that mean finality.

The smiled spread across Yukio's face. "Really?" he gasped, taking the treat of chocolate. "Wow! I've never had chocolate before! Uh, thanks ma'am!"

"Rukia," she said, grinning crazily back. "My name is Rukia."

"Thanks, Miss Rukia!"

They walked back to the train station in silence. The sun was beginning to set as they stood waiting for the train. The sky was inked in blues and pinks and the first pale stains of the stars bloomed in the distance. Rukia sighed and closed her eyes as the summer breeze blew gently against her. Cicadas had begun their song of twilight near the foliage between the wire fence and the train tracks. All Rukia wanted was to go home and put her feet up.

"Rukia."

Her eyes flew open and she blinked back at the soldier. _He was still here?_ For a second, she had forgotten that she had company. He was staring right ahead at something unseeingly with a concentrated look on his face as if he was trying to solve a math problem. Then he looked at her.

He smiled at her with such warmth that Rukia lost her breath. Her knees became wobbly and her heart raced. "Rukia." He repeated, his smile widening as he started to like the way her name rolled off his tongue. It just felt…right. His bronze eyes were now liquid gold, filling Rukia with hope and desire. He nodded once, to himself as he gazed back to the horizon in front of them. "Your name suits you," he commented absentmindedly.

"What's yours?" she croaked, still recovering.

"Hmm?"

She took a breath and moved her gaze. _Anywhere_ but on him. "Your name I mean."

"Kurosaki Ichigo." Even his name sounded sexy. Damn.

"Nice to meet you, Kurosaki-san."

"Just call me Ichigo. It's only fair since I called you by your first name."

"Alright…" she sized up his name before speaking it. "Ichigo." For some reason the name slipped off her tongue with comfortable ease, as if she had said his name several lifetimes before. Their eyes locked. A spark flickered.

A comfortable silence fell between them as they waited for their train. Rukia kept her gaze glued to the tracks, listening to the hum her body made. She never felt this happy before.

Then she closed her eyes and prayed. If there was a god out there, anywhere, she prayed that she would feel this happiness forever. To keep this feeling with her. _Please, please, don't take this away from me. _

A blare of the train's horn startled her. Rukia frowned. She was never this jumpy. Flushed and breathless, they waited until the train came to a stop and boarded. Rukia took the seat by the window. Ichigo placed their groceries on the seat opposite to them. He tugged off his Zanpakutō and leant against the said chair and sat down next to Rukia, his boot leaning on the flat side of the blade.

_He's too close_. Rukia pretended to readjust her hem and shifted closer to the window. God, she was acting like she had never been in love before.

Wait.

She had never actually been in love before.

Shit.

The doors closed after a few minutes and the train started. It would be a twenty minute lift and a two block walk until they reached her house. She mused at how her sister and father would react when she brought home a soldier. Rukia's chest swelled with inner pride. It was her first time bringing someone home that didn't require Orihime's 'intervention'. She obviously can make good judgment calls herself.

_Ha! Take that, Orihime!_

The comfortable silence began to grow into an awkward one on Rukia's side. She cleared her throat – a habit that had quickly become her. "So…Ichigo." Her heart suddenly picked up pace from his name coming out of her mouth. "Are you new to Karakura? I've never seen an officer with a uniform like yours around."

Many of the soldiers that went on patrol through the city had dark emerald uniforms – mimicking the design and style that Ichigo wore. Only, they wore officer caps and a red sash that held their Zanpakutō's.

"Nah, I'm a special one," he smirked.

Annoyed with his answer she muttered darkly to herself, "Obviously."

"What was that?" Ichigo's jaw ticked.

Rukia whipped her head to the window, hiding a smirk. "Nothing."

He sighed and shook it off. "I've only been patrolling Karakura for a month. This was my first patrol on this side of the city. I'm usually stationed by the bridge near the river on the other side of the city."

"Why did they position you on the other side?"

Ichigo looked out the window, keeping his voice low as they talked. "I guess to get to know the city a little bit better… in case the War came here."

Rukia's eyes widened. "You think the War could come to Karakura?"

"It's a lot more closer to the city then everyone believes," he replied quietly, turning his head to look at her reaction. "Even the newspaper is not being one hundred percent truthful. They don't want everyone to go into a state of panic."

Could it be that the War was just on their doorstep and no one noticed? Her hands gripped the bottom of the leather seat which was warm and sticky from being in the sun all day. She looked up, their noses almost touching as she whispered, "How close?"

She could see the speckles of the sun in his honey-gold eyes. His warm breath fanned her face as he replied just as quietly. "Close."

Rukia moved away, her head spinning. "Isn't that confidential? Aren't you going to get in trouble if they found out you told someone?"

"I couldn't really care less how they react," he replied half-heartedly. "But… for some weird reason, I trust you. Don't judge me or anything… but I know you're one of those people that will keep their word."

Rukia didn't know whether to feel embarrassed or flattered. "I wouldn't judge you."

She shifted again, her back against the glass as she fixed her eyes on the buttons of his jacket. They were black, with the engravings of a sun in the middle. She wanted to reach out and trace them with her fingers. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him. She had always been interested in the War, far more than anyone in their household. Orihime would always call her a 'kill-joy' for bringing up the subject.

"But you still didn't tell me why you're wearing that uniform," Rukia teased. Ichigo chuckled.

"You're a curious one, aren't you?"

"I never like being left in the dark. I like to know my facts about someone before I get closer to them."

"Oh, really?" he teased lightly back, his mouth twitched up into a wicked grin as he cocked his head to her. "Then tell me, 'oh curious one' who do you think I am?"

Rukia smirked back. _He wants to play this game? Fine. I can play. _She scrutinized and took in every detail of him. "Well," she breathed, starting on his clothing. "You don't wear the same color uniform as the rest, but you're obviously an ally if you're stationed at Karakura. So it must mean you're from a different rank."

Ichigo couldn't help but to feel amused by their game. "You're good. But are you good enough? Any typical person can tell that I'm from a different rank."

"You have the symbol of the "Shinigami" on the broach on your sash across your chest, which means that you're of higher ranking. A captain no less."

He was surprised at this. Not all commoners knew what the "Shinigami" symbol meant. "Better. But you're still not there."

"On the left breast of your jacket is the symbol of the King. A Black Sun," Rukia breathed, her eyes glazed over in thought. "It represents the Royal Guard and the Royal family. So either you're a part of royalty, or you joined their legion."

Rukia glanced up at him and was surprised to see his expression completely unreadable. _What was he hiding?_ But her eyes moved towards his Zanpakutō, wrapped in cloth yet still managed to look deadly and sinister all the same. "And with considering the size of your Zanpakutō, you are a very powerful Shinigami Captain."

"Alright. I guess you're good."

But Rukia wasn't finished. Oh, no, not at all. She turned to meet his squarely, locking her violet hues to his golden gaze. "And considering the way that you carry yourself, you know that you're a powerful Captain." Ichigo smirked at this.

"I'm flattered."

"But you're cocky. You know what you are and you use it to your ability. You're rash, reckless and half the time you don't know the real reason you do things. Most of all, you probably act like an idiot because no one really taught you how to be reasonable with others."

"Oi-!"

"But," Rukia cut in, eyes gleaming. "You're modest when you need to be. You don't like drawing attention to yourself when it's unwanted. You're kind and thoughtful but very protective. You like things to go your way but you also compromise when the situation calls for it. You do the right things for the right reasons and if no one else fights, you fight alone. You're independent, but you don't want to be lonely and you make up with what you can't get."

Rukia blinked, as if snapping out of a trance. She frowned and took in Ichigo's reaction. Yep, he pretty much looked like he shit his pants. Rukia bowed her head. "I-I'm sorry. I got carried away. Please forgive me."

Ichigo was stunned. She got all that about him just after meeting him a few hours ago? Holy shit. She's good. _Really_ good. Or was he just that readable? He blinked a few times, registering what she just told him. He leaned back into the chair heavily and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, you pretty much told my life story." He chuckled darkly and looked away.

Rukia cursed herself. She knows she made him uncomfortable. Trying to lighten the mood, she did what she always did when she was nervous. She teased. "So you think you can do better?"

He looked over at her and smiled. "Is that a challenge, I'm hearing?"

"I know for a fact you can't. You're too busy stalling."

"Watch your nose there midget, a plane might crash into it."

Rukia's eyes gleamed deadly. "What did you call me?"

"You heard me. A loud, sticky-nose, curious, annoying, little midg – SHIT!"

Rukia had punched him hard in the arm, her eyes sparking as he rubbed the injury tenderly. "Captain or _not_, no one calls me that!"

"Like you could really take me," he scoffed but quickly regretted saying it when she kicked him in the shin. He barked out a swear word that made several heads swivel to their direction.

"I can take you any day of the week, Kurosaki," Rukia seethed.

Ichigo's eyes darkened, the hint of playfulness and menace lingered in his orbs. "I'll take you seriously when you grow a few more inches, _kid._"

"I'm seventeen!" Rukia snarled. "And I'm a woman, thank you very much. But then again you attention span _is_ the size of a twelve year olds. I know six year olds that come up with better insults than you."

"You're seventeen?" Ichigo replied, surprised.

"What did I tell you about calling me a midg-! Wait, what?" _Woah, hold on there Rukia._ She couldn't believe it. Out of all that she said, he only caught her age. "Yes, I'm seventeen," she sniffed, collecting the remaining amount of honor she had left. Which was close to none. When she looked up in the carriage, it seemed everyone was looking away on purpose.

"Only barely…" Ichigo murmured quietly to himself, the scowl returning.

She propped her side to the back of the chair as she faced Ichigo fully. "How old are you?"

"I'm twenty six." Their eyes met.

"You're young for a Captain."

"Second youngest actually," he corrected. "There's one other that looks after the thirteenth division. He's barely nineteen."

"What division do you look after?"

"Fifth."

Rukia rested her head on the chair. "Do you like it?"

"It's not too bad. I don't hate it. My subordinates are good men and women."

"What's your position in the War?"

"I protect Karakura," he replied, his arm brushing against her head. _When did he move his arm to wrap around the back of the chair? _"I'm the last line of defense if War ever threatened the city."

"Where are all the other Captains? Isn't there thirteen of them?"

"They all have their orders to go about. Some have infiltrated the borders of Hueco Mondo. It's been a long year, but there has been some progress. Our side is slowly taking over the Arrancar."

Rukia had never been to Hueco Mondo. It was a land of desert and isolation, home to the people and monsters known as Arrancar and Hollow. She never really wanted to visit there. After all, the age of War was everywhere in that barren nation.

"You think the War is going to end soon?" Rukia asked.

Ichigo's face was emotionless, apart from the permanent scowl he wore. Even his voice was calm and toneless with a hint of venom inked in his words. "The Captains are doing all we can."

Rukia nodded and they fell into a comfortable silence. If she were to dip her head even more, she would be leaning against Ichigo's chest. They listened to the sounds of the train's wheels klacking against the iron rails, swaying the carriage slightly. She could fall asleep if she really wanted too. After all, she tried to stay up all night waiting for Orihime to come home.

Even Ichigo fell into a calm rhythm. His arm hung lazily behind her on the chair, the fabric of his jacket brushing against the back of her head. He was even humming quietly to a tune Rukia never heard of before, but was comforting all the same. She liked it here, sitting in the back empty row of seats on the train with Ichigo. She felt at peace and safe.

And whole.

"Rukia," Ichigo asked quietly. "What do you want to do with your life?"

She didn't think much of the question. "I want to join the Shinigami. But most of all, I want to travel. Why?"

He looked down at her sleepy form, ignoring her question. "Why do you want to become a Shinigami?" he whispered.

"Because… I want to protect everyone. I don't like seeing people get hurt and not have the power to change it… I just can't deal with that."

Ichigo was quiet for a moment as he stared out the window. "Do you like cooking? Or sewing? Do you have any hobbies?"

"I don't mind it. I taught my sister a lot about cooking. She was hopeless. I taught her to sew too and now she can sew like a professional. You have to see her quilt work sometime, she's very talented. But…I prefer to read books. Shakespeare mostly."

"You like Shakespeare?" Ichigo asked gently.

"He was a man of his time and very talented at what he wrote. I love his work."

A warm smile graced his face as he turned to enjoy the peaceful view of the flickering houses and horizon whizzing past them. He couldn't help but to agree. "He was a brilliant writer."

The train finally slowed down to their destination and an automatic voice of a woman spoke over the speakers announcing that the train was about to stop. Rukia sat up straighter and Ichigo moved his arm away from the chair. He stood up and adjusted his Zanpakutō on his back and helped Rukia pick up the groceries. They headed out onto the small platform of Rukia's neighborhood. "Well," Ichigo turned to her. "Show me the way."

"You really want to come over, don't you?" Rukia asked as they began to walk down the steps of the platform. Ichigo just shrugged.

"I can't just let you carry this all to your house alone. Besides, I'm curious as to where you live."

Rukia snorted. Their apartment wasn't the nicest. "I'm sure you would just be _thrilled_ about it."

"I'm sure it's not that bad."

"True. It could be worse."

They walked side by side down the path to her house and every closer step they took, Rukia grew more nervous. She was taking a man home –a _captain _at that – for the first time. How is father going to react? How is Orihime going to react? Was she going to go into rogue sister mode and demand to know every detail about him? Tie her to a chair and interrogate her until she is nothing more than a broken mess?

They came up to the block of apartments and Rukia took a deep breath in. Ichigo followed her up the footpath and to the front door. She went over to the light box next to the door and picked out the hidden key sitting on top. She took in a breath and pushed the key into the slot and twisted until the warm 'click' of the door sounded.

She exhaled. She was home.

"Come in," Rukia replied, moving to the side and allowing Ichigo to enter. She prayed to God that Orihime did her chores and cleaned the house when she came back from shopping. Rukia hated a mess. Awkwardly, she chuckled trying to lighten the mood, "It's not what you expect from a Royal palace… but its home."

Ichigo's eyes swept around the room. He tried his best not to gawk around everywhere, but something didn't feel right. Unsure, he shrugged it off and turned to smirk at her. "I've been to worse. It's not too bad in here."

"Oh, well…thanks. I-it's not mine," Rukia replied hastily. "It's father's. Here, I'll show you to the kitchen." She sped off down the hall and took a sharp right. Rukia had begun to panic. Orihime didn't do her chores, dammit! There was still a sink full of dirty dishes. She inwardly cursed her sister's bad timing for being lazy. Ichigo entered the kitchen behind her and placed the items on the counter.

"Ah, my sister was meant to clean up today," Rukia said quickly, her back turned as she quickly threw the dishes into the dishwasher. "I guess she didn't get back from the mall just yet." _So fucking lucky right now._ "Please ignore the mess. It's not normally this messy." _It's usually messier with Orihime in charge._ She whipped the last few dishes into the dishwasher and slammed the damn thing closed. Her heart raced erratically. God, she is going to _kill_ Hime when she gets home.

"Do you want anything-?" Rukia turned around, only to see his chest. Her breath hitched as she watched him lean over, arms on either side of her, trapping her against the counter. His face hovered inches apart from hers, lips parted as his golden eyes watched her like a lion watching his prey. If Rukia wasn't leaning over the counter, she would've turned into a puddle on the floor. She couldn't think, all she wanted was to lean over and meet him. "I-Ichigo, what are you…"

Their noses touched and his warm, sweet breath fanned over her lips. His hair prickled her cheeks as curious fingers moved to grip her arms gently. His touch set her skin on fire, mesmerizing and tantalizing. He had the grip of a man but the caress of a lover. Rukia's eyes slowly closed as he nudged his nose playfully against hers before leaning lower and-

The sound of the front door opening down the hall resonated through the house. Ichigo froze, Rukia whipped her head away. She heard feminine laughter enter the house along with another voice. Orihime was home.

Rukia quickly pushed Ichigo aside, positive that her face was now fire truck red. Ichigo just scowled, turning back into his usual expression and sighed, crossing his arms. _Damn. Did he make a move too quickly? _"Ichigo…" Rukia's voice made him look up. She turned to him, her eyes sparkling and cheeks pink. There were no words said. But he knew.

"My sister's here," Rukia croaked and he watched as her eyes slightly drooped down. His scowl returned. "I'll go talk to her before she freaks out."

He chuckled and Rukia darted into the hall.

Orihime was down the hall, her arms full of bags with new clothes and items that she bought. But she wasn't the only one, her best friend Rangiku was with her as well. Rukia never had a problem with Rangiku, she actually liked her. But for some reason now that Ichigo wasin the house, Rangiku was the last person that Rukia wanted to see step through her door.

"Rukia! There you are! Rangiku and I were just talking about you," Orihime smiled brightly as she dropped her bags beside the door. Rangiku smiled and waved just as bubbly to Rukia. Rukia…reluctantly greeted back with a wave of her own.

Her violet eyes slid from one large-breasted woman to the other, hackles raised. She sighed, tired and crossed her arms. "I hope it was good."

"Oh, don't worry, your sister loves you too much to say anything mean," Rangiku teased, earning Orihime to dramatically roll her eyes.

"I think I've found the solution to your situation!" Orihime replied, clasping her hands together.

Rukia was momentarily confused. "What problem?"

"You know! You're boy troubles!"

Rukia couldn't mask the horrified look on her face. "Wait – Hime, that's kind of you but I'm not-"

"Yes! Rangiku and I have been discussing," Orihime continued, swatting away her comment. "That we should put you on a date with one of the boys in class. You should at least _experience_ what it's like to have a boyfriend before you end high school."

"I don't think-"

"So you'll accept it, right? I even bought you a dress and everything for your first date! How awesome is that from your big sister?" Orihime held up several bags in her arms. Rukia's eyes widened. "It's pretty pink _and_ frilly with glitter-"

"It's-"

"I even talked to that Asano boy. He's really into you, Rukia. You should go talk to him!"

"He's really cute," Rangiku interjected. "You should give him a chance. Who knows what might happen?"

Rukia sighed. Orihime wasn't going to take no for an answer. She nodded her head. There was no way in _hell_ she was going to talk to that kid. He was rude and sexist, as well as he was a massive pig. Rukia repulsed him. There was no way it was going to happen. No. Fucking. Way. Ever.

_Ever._

Rukia stood up for herself in front of her sister and her friend. Asking Rukia to go out with Asano Keigo was the last straw. "Thanks, but no thanks, Hime. I appreciate the offer," Rukia replied steadily, her hands suddenly turning into fists. She wasn't sure why she was so nervous. Was it because she was saying 'no' to her sister for the first time? She hated to see Orihime upset, but she would _not _tolerate being a doormat to her crazy ideas of 'boyfriend before high school ends'. Rukia will do what ever she wanted to, thank you very much. She lifted her chin up and folded her arms across her chest. "I have… I have already found someone."

The news caught both the girls attention as they gasped in unison. _Yeah, _Rukia thought power tripping_, that's it. You heard right. Wait until you meet him._

"Who is he?" They asked together.

Rukia leaned over to whisper to them both. "I only met him today and I brought him over."

Rangiku slapped Rukia's shoulder playfully. "You go, girl! Look at you, all grown up! I'm so proud of you, aren't you Orihime?"

Orihime was happy, but she was also moving around. Something Rukia _knew_ Orihime would do. She was instantly curious, and was on the verge of either tackling Rukia or demanding a thousand questions from the guy. She was a very protective sister. "Who is he, Rukia?" she asked, eyes moving around. "Where is he?"

Rukia beamed and took her sister's hand. "Come with me, let's go meet him!"

Orihime grinned excitedly, following Rukia. "He better be a handsome one, Rukia!"

_Like you wouldn't believe._

It was at that moment when Rukia was halfway down the hall that Ichigo walked out of the kicthen. Rukia beamed up at him, but stopped when she saw the color drain out of his face. _He looks like he saw a ghost._ She jerked backwards when she felt Orihime suddenly stopped walking, almost tripping in the process. Rukia turned to her sister, alarmed, "Hime, what's-"

"Ku-Kurosaki-kun?" Orihime gasped, shaking her hand out of Rukia's suddenly loose grasp and covered her mouth in shock. Her eyes sparkled with tears. "It's you, Kurosaki-kun!"

"Wait…" Rukia looked back and forth between the pair, staring curiously up at Ichigo. But he kept his gaze fixated on the busty woman behind her. She was extremely confused. "Do you know each other?" Orihime had darted up the hall, dropping her bags and lunged herself at the said man. Rukia's heart stopped.

Orihime wrapped her arms around the pale man, quivering with joy, "Oh, Kurosaki-kun! I didn't know you knew where I lived! This is the best surprise ever!"

Ichigo finally found the ability to move and stiffly returned to gesture to hug her back. His bangs hid his eyes as Orihime pressed a kiss against his cheek. Noticing how he tensed at the sign of her affection, she frowned and cooed, "are you alright, Kurosaki-kun? Is something the matter?"

The smile he wore was thin and tight. In a voice that seemed warm and gentle he answered, "No, no. It's just a surprise to see you here out of all places."

Rukia remained stoic and indifferent, instantly wanted the ground to swallow her up. She couldn't react to the scene in front of her. She couldn't form words as the pain slowly built but she couldn't tear her eyes away from the agonizing truth.

_It was so obvious._

"I know right!" Orihime giggled, wrapping a loving arm around his stiff frame. Ichigo avoided everyone's gaze. "It must be fate for us to be together! My little sister sent you here!"

Her mind screamed for her to move but her body was locked into place.

Rukia mumbled to the others that she wasn't feeling well and wanted to go to bed. She needed to get away, to sort out her thoughts. Orihime had pouted a little and asked her if she wanted to stay down and have something to eat with the four of them. She declined, "I'm really too tired, Hime' and went up stairs. Soon after, Ichigo thought it would be a good time to depart as well. Orihime kicked up a fuss, stating that 'you only _just_ came here, Kurosaki-kun! At least have something to eat!' Both ended up talking outside by the front door, leaving Rangiku to look hungrily through their cupboards alone.

Rukia closed the door of her room, the sky blood red from the setting sun casting dark shadows across her bedroom. She closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the warm oak door. _She's such an idiot. How could she not see it? Of course someone like him is a perfect match for her sister._

She was a fool. An idiot to think that she was 'in love'. What the hell was she thinking? Ichigo wasn't meant for her, it was so clear to her when the scene represented itself to her a few minutes ago. She wasn't a lovy-dovey shojo girl, unlike her sister Orihime. But she couldn't deny the pain that coursed through her body and threatened to make tears fall.

She retreated to her bed and collapsed on it, face first into her pillow and closed her eyes. Eventually the scenes of Orihime and Ichigo burned into her skull turned into a dreamless nightmare. She awoke when the moon was full and the sky was dark with the soft patter of rain against her window. She felt her mattress dip and Orihime wrap herself around her sister snuggly, whispering in a hushed tone to the back of Rukia's head, "Rukia! Are you awake?"

She pretended to sleep. She didn't reply, even though her wide violet eyes stared unseeingly out of the window. Orihime kissed the back of her head, "that was him, Rukia! The guy that would make me officially his girlfriend! I can't believe you two met and he was here – you don't understand how happy I am." Orihime lightly traced the goosebumps on Rukia's arm before settling the blanket up higher to cover her. "I'm so happy you two met, Rukia. Goodnight little sister." She got up and went to her own bed.

Rukia remained staring out at the window that night, unable to go to sleep, feeling more miserable and alone than ever.

How could you sleep peacefully when even God turned his back on you?

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><p><strong>AN: Done! So what do you guys think? I wanted to portray the underlying themes in this chapter for the entire story. So, Ichigo and Rukia meet and click, only to find out that Ichigo and Orihime are lovers. I know the characters are OOC in this, but bare with me, they kindda have to in this story until I sort my shit out.**

**But still, poor Rukia :( she finally decides to do something for herself only to realize he was always Orihime's.**

**Chappies aren't going to be this long in the future...or are they?**

**Please review guys / there's no point continuing the story if no one wants to read it.**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: All I just want to say is a big THANK YOU for the reviews! 25 reviews in the first chapter - you seriously have no idea what that does to my FF author heart! I didn't think that my story would get so much attention - so thank you to ALL who reviewed! I read each and everyone of them guys~ *glomps***

**A big thanks to all: zero09q, Thornspike, Saverina, MockingBirdxSxG, Kia'a, Anya x2, vivian, Sasha, Titania, Lady Scarlet, zombiegirl22, Juvenilliare, allylalina, garu23(twice!), (another! xD) Anya, soinlovewithbleach, Hef'Rani, xwhitemoonx, cAprEe, SexYNaughHTyBIchYmE, BITCH OF LOVE, Ashezo 3 aaaand last but not least, iLOVE and to any others that I have missed on here - CHEERS!**

**Your comments and reviews were extremely motivating. So thank you ALL and to those who read but didn't review - it means alot!**

**Anyways, carring on, Chapter One is down and posted and onwards to Chapter Two! *twirls* I'd like to give you guys a heads up.**

**So, _Under the Red Umbrella_ will still have the main _Bleach_ themes in it. For example, Shunpo, Kido and all other forms of Shinigami fighting techniques are present. Reiatsu is also something that is common with a lot of the people in this story, but like Bleach, not all people have the ability to use it. We still have the Gotei 13, Soul Society (though we won't interact/see them until we go through a few more chapters). Zanpukoto's and Bankai's still exist. All the works.**

**I also really want to express the interaction between Orihime and Rukia as sisters. Some of you were finding that Orihime was suspicious about Ichigo and Rukia in Chapter One and I would like to point out that I apologize as an author that I gave you that idea. So far, and will be for a while, Orihime will not know _anything in the slightest_ about Rukia and Ichigo's relationship. That F-bomb won't be dropped in the mean time.**

**I noticed in most reviews that you asked if Ichigo was a two-timer. Again, I apologize. That was not my intention to write it that way either. Of course, Ichigo was going to get close to Rukia because A) it's a Ichiruki story ;) and B) he never knew that Rukia was Orihime's sister. Hence why he pretty much exited left of stage when Rukia went to her room. He actually felt extremely -**

**Wait.**

**You'll just have to read on to find out ;) fufufu**

**|future apologies for grammatical|awkward wording|mispelling stuff|**

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><p>|||<strong>Song of the Chapter <em>Live for What I'd Die For,<em> by Jess Mills. Haven't heard of it? LISTEN ON YOUTUBE THEN DOWNLOAD LEGALLY SO I DON'T GET SUED FOR TELLING YOU GUYS THE WRONG THING|||**

**Keep calm and Ichiruki ❤**

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><p>"Throughout life you will meet that one person who is unlike any other.<p>

You will be able to talk to this person for hours and never get bored.

You will be able to tell them things and they will never judge you.

This person is your best friend, your soul mate.

Never let them go."

-Anonymous

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><p>2<p>

The next morning when Rukia woke up, the first image in her mind was Ichigo.

She got up and dressed for school. Yellow pleated skirt and tie with a cotton short-sleeved, white shirt. She combed out her hair and brushed her teeth. Her eyes were slightly puffy and pink, so she dabbed a little concealer to hide what the sleepless night had given her. Flattening out her perfectly creased skirt, she threw on her black tights and slipped on her school shoes.

She tried her best to avoid Orihime that morning. In fact, she didn't even look at her at all, who called merrily after her, "have a good day at school, Rukia!"

Rukia took the bus to school. She sat quietly in the back row, staring unseeingly out the window.

_Their noses touched and his warm, sweet breath fanned over her lips. His hair prickled her cheeks as curious fingers moved to grip her arms gently. His touch set her skin on fire, mesmerizing and tantalizing. He had the grip of a man but the caress of a lover. Rukia's eyes slowly closed as he nudged his nose playfully against hers before leaning lower and-_

The bus pulled into the shelter and Rukia got up, gripping the back of a seat as she waited for the back doors to open. She lifted her hand up to the driver in the rear-view mirror and gestured a silent 'thank you' before stepping out. A few other students from her school got off too, chatting as they stepped off behind her. Rukia huffed and mentally prepared herself for boring classes, teachers and subjects. And break times that consisted of lighthearted jokes and plans for the weekends.

Yesterday Rukia had met Ichigo.

She walked the two blocks alone to school, headphones in and eyes down.

_"Rukia." He repeated, his smile widening as he started to like the way her name rolled off his tongue. It just felt…right. His bronze eyes were now liquid gold, filling Rukia with hope and desire. He nodded once, to himself as he gazed back to the horizon in front of them. "Your name suits you."_

She reached the large iron gates of her school. It wasn't the greatest school, but it was the only high school that Karakura had, so it was very large. There were more than two thousand students that attended the institute, which meant everyone knew everyone by their names. The city did have several junior highs, spread around in the four main districts of Karakura. Orihime and her college friends attended the Karakura University across the road.

You would've thought with a school that had so many students that Rukia would have more friends.

She wasn't a charity case; she wasn't friendless because everyone suddenly made her the school outcast. Rukia _knew_ plenty of people. But she was also far from being popular. Out off all the people she knew, only a select few were her close friends. Yet even out of that circle, she had her best friend, Momo Hinamori.

She walked along the large school grounds of freshly cut lawn, outlined by several large willow trees. The school itself had very well kept gardens. On the left wing, they even had a Green house. Behind the building were the gym and the racetrack.

Students mingled in the grounds before classes started every morning. Most of them just went to their designated homerooms but because the weather was so nice the majority stayed outside. She recognized faces and raised her hand back to those who waved at her.

"RUUUUKEEEEEAAAAAH!"

There was a flash of a uniform before Rukia was tackled sideways onto the path. Staggering, she gripped the cotton sleeve of her attacker to keep her balance. If she _was_ going to fall, she will be taking _them_ down with her.

But they remained upright and Rukia took her chance to look sideways. She couldn't help but to chuckle, taking an earphone out. "Good morning, Momo."

"Morning!" Momo replied in a singsong voice, releasing Rukia's body from her death grip and looping their arms together. "Funniest thing happened this morning. I was trying to look for you and all I see was this black cloud! So I followed it and behold my amazed eyes, there you were!" She plucked Rukia's iPod from her hand and placed the spare earplug in her ear. She nodded to the beat absent-mindedly. "Mmm. I know this… it's '_Live for What I'd Die For'_ by that Jess chick. Good song~!"

"It's Jess _Mills_," Rukia conversed. They headed towards the stairs arm in arm. Momo exchanged waves to a group of girls standing on the bottom steps. Rukia added stiffly, "and I _don't_ have a black cloud over my head."

Momo was only half-listening. "Whatever you say," she replied offhandedly. She tugged Rukia's arm lightly and added, "Oh! Did you do the homework sensei asked for us to do over the weekend?"

They side-stepped a group walking down the steps. Yes." Rukia sneaked a peek at Momo. "…Please tell me you did too."

"Ah…" Momo looked away sheepishly. Her eyes fixated on something down the hall. Rukia clicked her fingers impatiently for her friend to answer.

"Momo. You did remember, right?"

"O-Of course I did!" She gave a belt of awkward laughter and she slapped Rukia lightly on the arm. "You're _so_ funny, Rukia. I swear you come out with the funniest things…"

Rukia looked away. "Alright. But it's not my ass that's gonna be grilled by sensei."

Momo paled and swallowed thickly. She squeezed Rukia's arm to herself. "She – she wouldn't do that!"

"Oh, I don't know…" Rukia continued, casually waving her hand around to make her point melodramatic. "Didn't you hear she writes the names of any of the students that didn't do their homework on the 'Blackboard of Shame'?"

They glided through the sea of students in the corridor with ease. Momo, horrified, scrunched her face up. She turned to her best friend and pleaded with large saucer-like eyes. She gripped both her hands together in front of her face, never unlinking their arms, as if she was praying. "Not the board of shame! Okay, I didn't do it! I was super busy with work and my boss made me work overtime-"

Rukia couldn't help but to laugh. "Momo, you don't have a job."

Her face turned from white to red as quickly as the change of a traffic light. "Y-You know how busy I am over the weekends!"

"Yes. I'm sure being lazy is a really, _really_ hard thing to do. I just _don't_ know how you do it~"

Knowing she was getting teased, Momo sniffed sourly, "It's my head on the chopping board, Rukes. Fine. _Don't_ care that I'm going to suffer! I hope you feel really guilty when you look at the Blackboard of Shame!"

Rukia broke out into a fit of laughter. Momo stopped walking, instantly confused. "What?" she cried out. "What did I do?"

Catching her breath, she replied, "Momo, there's no such thing as the 'Blackboard of Shame'. I made it up." She chuckled and shook her head, sighing happily. "Did you seriously believe that there was such a thing?"

Beet-rood red and unable to think straight Momo stammered, "Sh-shut up!" And gave Rukia's arm a deserving pinch.

"Ouch! You're such a child, Momo!" Rukia complained, rubbing her arm. She gave Momo a look before turning her nose into the air.

"Rukia! I'm sorry, I'm _sorry_!" Momo apologized quickly, "Please forgive me, 'kay?" She rubbed the spot where she pinched Rukia tenderly. She hated it when Rukia didn't talk to her! _They were best friends!_ "I'm sorry for hurting you, Rukia!"

Rukia smiled and gave Momo's moving hand a small pat. Her eyes softened. "Baka, I was just kidding also."

They arrived at Momo's locker first.

The brunette unwound herself from Rukia's side and started to swivel the metal digits on her lock to their opening combination. Rukia stood behind her, hands wrapped around the thick strap of her bag as she waited for her. Morning light streamed through the windows and warmed her back. "So…apart from not doing anything. Did you do anything over the weekend?"

Momo gave Rukia a mock scowl as she unlocked her locker and opened the metal door. A knowing smirk brushed over her pretty features, "Oh, same old, same old. I just happened to meet a _guy_."

"Oh," Rukia raised a small raven brow, matching Momo's mischievous smirk with her own. "Details, Momo."

Her friend sighed, grabbing her textbook and spiral notepad. "I met him at the park, actually..."

She closed her locker and they made their way through the crowd again, heading towards Rukia's locker around the corner. Momo was just about to open her mouth when a female shriek and a bang resonated in the hall ahead.

One second everyone was minding their own business, then the next, Rukia and Momo were getting pushed and shoved out of the way as students raced past them to assemble at the end of the hall. People cried out, shrinking into the lockers. Other's stayed back trying to peek from a distance. But most ran past with big, fat grins on their faces and shouted tauntingly for others to follow, "a fight! A fight!"

Rukia and Momo spared a glance before they ran down the hall.

It was in those few seconds that the corridors were blocked off either side. The crowd was so thick and restless that no matter how hard the teachers tried to shove through the gathering, none succeeded. Both sides thickened as more students arrived from outside. The corridor was filled noisily with shouting. Rukia couldn't believe it, they were actually _rooting_ for the fight! Without a second thought, she took her bag off and flung her iPod to panic-stricken Momo. "Stay here," she said in a tone that meant no arguing.

"Wait! Rukia!"

Rukia tried to squeeze through the crowd but was instantly pushed back. A few students turned and glared at her, as if _she_ was disturbing their entertainment! There was no other way. She gritted her teeth and dived down through the sea of legs.

She was bumped and pushed as she crawled on her hands and feet through the crowd. More than a few times her hands got stood on. She was pretty sure that she tripped over half a dozen pairs of legs. Some students tried to move out of her way, other's just complained. Rukia dodged and squeeze through as fast as she could, her tiny body whizzing through the forest of legs.

Momo was panicking, bouncing up and down on her feet as she lost sight of her friend. She could of gotten herself trampled on! Momo tried to follow Rukia, but the ring of students on the outside pushed her back. "Rukia!" Momo knelt down, trying hard to find her best friend. "Rukia!"

Hands red and scraped, from shoe marks and kicks, Rukia finally made her way to the front of the crowd. She wriggled herself up and gasped in horror.

All around her, where the jeering was heard loudest were students with their phones out. Some belted out hoots and other's spat insults as they pushed each other around to try and get a better angle. A tenth grade boy snapped at Rukia for being in his way and pushed her head to the side so he could get a better view with his phone. Rukia was about to knee him in the crutch and tell him to 'go fuck himself' when a distressed cry rose in front of her.

The fight was between two girls. Both had mascara running down their faces, their hair torn out of their ponytails. Shirts were ripped and neckties were pulled loose. One girl was on the floor, holding her face – obviously the one that was losing the fight. The buttons on her shirt had been ripped apart, exposing her black lacy bra to the crowd of savage eyes. One of her long pink pony tales had been almost pulled _out_ of her head, with a clump of pink hair left on the floor in front of her.

The other girl was standing above her, a victorious smirk on her smeared lip-gloss lips. Down the length of her cheek was four red claw marks from where the other had scratched her. Long, blond hair hung loosely in a lop-sided ponytail as she bore her eyes hungrily to the girl on the floor, her chest heaving. In her left hand, a small spark of pink Reiatsu warped in her open palm.

"Serves you right you _whore!"_ she screeched and gave a heavy kick to the girl's side, flashing her white panties to the crowd. Boys roared into cheers as they eagerly pushed their phones forward into the ring. Hearing the sound of ovations from the crowd the blond-hair girl grinned.

"Y-you _bitch!_" hissed the pink-haired girl, squirming in pain on the floor. Her voice was broken and desperate. She clutched the side of her stomach. There were burns to her abdominal from where the blonde's Reiatsu had hit her. The blond haired girl glared down at her.

"What the fuck did you call _me?_" she shouted and swung to kick her again. The crowd cheered. She began to kick harder, her face turning feral. The girl on the floor cried out but was drowned by the cheers.

"Holy shit! Look at her _ass!"_

"Fight her! Kick her HARDER!"

"Look at these two sluts go at each other!"

"KICK HER FACE IN!"

The blond was about to give one devastating kick to the girls crumpled face when she was suddenly shoved back in retaliation.

Rukia stood in between the two, her arms spread out to her sides as she stood protectively over the girl on the floor. "That's _enough!_"

The blond stumbled back in surprise and quickly caught her footing. She glared at Rukia with eyes that could burn. Her Reiatsu was flickering and uneven. "Who the _fuck_ are you?"

Rukia wasn't the least bit intimidated. The girl may have been a head taller than her, but she wasn't scared. She met the gaze with equal force – if not more threatening and with her own Reiatsu to match. "This fight ends now."

Behind her the pink-haired girl cowered on the floor, sobbing quietly in pain as she clutched her ribs. The crowd went quiet as the two girls stared each other down, the excitement heightening. Whispers began to circulate around them.

"…who's she?"

"…that's the Rukia girl from Class B3…"

"…what's she doing in there?"

The girl's eyes flickered up and down Rukia's physique, assessing her chances to winning against the newcomer. She smirked, her calculations done. "Move before I break yourbody next, _dwarf._"

Rukia's eyes hardened. The crowd was restless and began throwing insults. This time, projected towards Rukia. Rukia ignored them and remained cold and indifferent, "I don't know what happened, but the fight between you two ends now."

The girl laughed. "What the fuck?" Her hands tensed into talons, wanting to slap Rukia across the face. "This has nothing to fucking do with you! Move outta the way so I can kill that slut!"

The pink-haired girl behind Rukia finally spoke up. "Shut it, _bitch…_" she gasped in pain, her eyes hidden under her choppy pains. "You're the one who's the slut in this story. You went after _my_ boyfriend… D-didn't anyone tell you it's rude to go back for seconds, _dog_?"

Blinded by rage at the girls taunt, the blond-haired girl dodged forward, claws out. Rukia immediately shadowed her action and sidestepped to block her. The blond whipped her crying blue eyes to Rukia and hissed, "_MOVE BITCH_!"

She swung her hand at her but Rukia dodged. Rukia then wrapped her arms around her waist and tackled her backwards. She tightened her grip around the torso and twisted her leg around to snag the back of her knees. With a sharp jab of her hand to the gut, the blond doubled over. Rukia swiped her leg under the blonde's body and the girl came crashing down to the floor, winded.

The fight was over before anyone could say anything. Rukia straightened herself out.

The crowd was silent as everyone stared on in disbelief. One of the males eventually broke the silence, "Holy _shit_, did you just see that? She got her in that _one_ move without using any Reiatsu!"

The blond was gasping, trying to regain her breath in her paralyzed lungs. She coughed and squirmed, but remained pinned to the floor, defeated. Rukia walked up to her slowly, her eyes ice cold.

"S-shit…" the blond rasped, panicking. "I – I can't b-breathe!"

Rukia rolled her eyes. "Don't be dramatic. You're merely winded. Try not to speak otherwise recovery time will take longer."

She turned and walked away from the blonde. Feeling the spirit of the fight quickly end, students began to part ways. Some stayed, still staring at the scene in front of them as if they couldn't believe their eyes…or hoping the blonde would get up and start the fight again. But she didn't. In tears, her clique ran to their fallen friend one calling out to a teacher.

Rukia approached the pink-haired girl who managed to prop herself up on the lockers. She was bent forward in pain. Rukia was going to ask if she was alright, but at that time, Momo and several teachers raced to the scene.

"Rukia! Rukia! Are you alright?" Momo gasped, quickly searching her friend for any signs of injury. Her eyes fell on Rukia's swollen hands and panicked. "Oh my _god_, Rukia-"

"It's fine," Rukia told her as the crowd dissipated to their respective classes. Several students were getting their phones confiscated off them. Teachers shouted at teenagers to leave the scene _immediately. _She flexed her small hands and flinched at the pain that shot up her arms. She looked away, hoping her best friend didn't notice, but Momo was even more alarmed.

"Rukia, you need to go to the nurses office!"

"It's fine, Momo!" Rukia sighed.

"No, it's not!" Momo huffed and grabbed Rukia's wrist, dragging her to the nurse's quarters. Rukia's eyes darted back as she saw a couple of teachers flock to aid both of the girls. She stumbled but her reluctance turned into tolerance as they walked. Momo dropped her grip when she felt Rukia following. The two walked together down the hall, receiving stares as they went.

Rukia scowled as she watched students look at her then quickly away. And so the wheels of the rumor wagon had already began to turn. If rumors spread like fire, then gossip spread like lightning. She caught a group of girls huddled around a friend's phone – obviously watching footage from the fight. Rukia suddenly wanted to grab that phone and snap it in half.

"Holy shit," Rukia breathed after receiving a mixture of looks. Some were wary, some smirked. Other's just turned their backs and begun whispering, which pissed Rukia off even more. She wanted to demand what their problem was but didn't want to draw more attention to herself. She just needed to get to the nurses office as quickly as she could and forget that this morning ever happened.

"It passed through the school quickly," Momo commented cagily. She peeked over at her friend.

Rukia just shook it off. "Whatever. Let's get this nurse business done with."

It didn't take very long for the gossip to spread. By the time it was lunch break, almost _everyone_ knew about the fight that happened that morning. And if you were the few students that didn't know, then you were either told or secretly shown the footage. Even all the teachers knew about it. The principal _himself_ had made an announcement over the speakers during second period that fighting in the halls is absolutely _out of bounds_ and any student caught in the act of fighting would be immediately suspended.

But that never stopped the students from talking about it.

The fight was even sent to a small amount of students who attended the university across the road and no later everyone over _there_ at least had a copy of the fight on their phone. Teachers were almost pulling their hair out of their heads, trying to get the footage under control but soon gave up. Like it was the word of God, it spread to almost half the population of Karakura by lunchtime.

Rukia was trying to eat her bento box but the bandages that the nurse wrapped her hands in were stiff and thick and gave her no flexibility to use her chopsticks. Her group sat under the large willow tree next to the school gate. Rukia was constantly being bugged by everyone for the details of the fight. Notes had been passed to her in class, with questions or endorsements. She was sick of it already.

"Rukia! Seriously! Tell us what happened!"

"I can't believe that _Rukia Inoue _actually knocked that bitch on her ass! She deserved it!"

"Woohoo, Rukia-chan! I didn't know you could fight like that!"

Rukia was too busy trying to use her chopsticks to even bother listening to them all. She bent over her bento but eventually gave up before one of her friends interrupted her, "hey, Rukia! Show us your hands!"

If she knew she was going to be harassed all day, she wouldn't have bothered breaking up the fight. _Not true, you still would have._ Annoyed, but keeping her tone polite, she replied, "you can already see my hands from over there, Chizuru-san."

After receiving pouts and disappointed looks, Rukia sighed, irritated and raised both her tiny hands – now wrapped by thin, white, hospital bandages to her friends. That started up her friends again. Rukia quickly dropped her hands, wishing she could be left alone. She hated being in the spot light. It made her feel uncomfortable.

"Woah! That's so cool!"

"Ohmigod guys! Did you totally see the move she made on _Kira_-san? Rukia's a fucking _ninja!"_

Rukia's jaw ticked and she pouted down at her bento box. She just wanted to eat, but it was impossible to eat with all these questions and her bandaged hands. Defeated, she closed the lid on her untouched lunch. "I need a break," she murmured to Momo about to leave

"RUKIA!"

Rukia's heart almost dropped out of her chest as she heard her name being called. A familiar Reiatsu prodded hers. Before she could stand up or respond, Orihime tackled her to the ground from behind.

"Ack! Hime!" Rukia cried in embarrassment, wincing as her face squirmed in the grass with her sister on top of her. Several students in the group recognized the older sister and chimed in a greeting. Rukia clawed at the grass. "Hime! I c-can't _breathe-"_

Orihime pushed herself onto her knees beside Rukia. She was about to question what she was doing here, but Orihime pulled back, rubbing the tears that fell from her eyes with her back of her hand. Rukia suddenly stopped feeling mad. She was suddenly concerned. "R-Rukia I saw what happened-" stuttered Orihime.

_Oh no. Not you too._

Rukia's eyes softened at her upset sister. She lifted her hand to rest gently on her shaking shoulders, "Hime, it's really not that bad-"

Orihime pulled Rukia's hand off her shoulder and looked at it for a moment, her eyes watering up again. She flipped Rukia's bandaged hand over and back again, like she didn't believe her eyes. "Oh, Rukia! Your hands…" she said with a wobbly voice.

"…are _fine_," Rukia finished, gently tugging her sore hands from her sister's grip. She rested one on Orihime's thigh and patted it soothingly. She looked up behind Orihime to see two of her university friends standing awkwardly behind them.

One was Tatsuki, Orihime's child-hood friend. She was dressed in shorts and a singlet with white canvas shoes to match the attire. Her ebony mullet ruffled in the breeze, choppy bangs tickling her elfish features. She nodded her head to Rukia in greeting, her eyes sparkling with amusement. "Heard about the fight, kiddo. Apparently you clocked a good one on her."

Rukia smirked. _Classic Tatsuki._ "It was really beginners luck."

Tatsuki rolled her eyes at her modesty. "Psht. I saw the footage, Rukes. You totally knew what you were doing."

Rukia chuckled, shrugging. "Each to their own."

"You're way too humble like your sister."

Rukia's eyes gazed over to Orihime's other friend. Her stomach curled inside of her, twisting angrily. She tensed and narrowed her eyes slightly as she stared coldly up at Asano Keigo.

Tatsuki looked over at Keigo. "He tells the truth," she agreed reluctantly noticing the hostility Rukia gave to Asano. She cleared her throat and looked away.

But Keigo was indifferent to Rukia's antagonizing gaze and controlled Reiatsu. He just smiled and waved politely as if none of her pride mattered to him. "Hey, long time no see Rukia!"

"Keigo," Rukia acknowledged rigidly.

He chuckled and leant down behind her, ruffling Rukia's hair, knowing it would piss her off. She immediately stiffened under his hand and he laughed at her reaction. "Geez. Still have a heart of stone!" he teased.

It was when Orihime interrupted them. "Oh!" she brightened considerably when she remembered something. She pointed between Rukia and Keigo. "You two should go out!"

Rukia's face reddened in horror. Keigo's mouth opened slightly so he looked like a gaping fish. Everyone in their group was staring at the three of them. "Yeah!" Orihime clasped her hands together, unaware of Rukia's desperation. "I know the perfect place! There's a little café just a few blocks from here-"

_Stop talking. Right now._

Orihime grinned ear to ear joyously. "-it's called '_Echo_'! I heard that the food is _really_ good there~"

Rukia's eyes burned into her sister. Her hands were fists in her lap.

"-What do you say? Seven-thirty this Friday?" Orihime asked politely to Keigo. He was speechless for a moment, collecting his thoughts. Apparently Orihime's idea of going out with Rukia was something they never talked about. Yeah, Orihime knew Keigo had a thing for her younger sister, but _dating_ her, he never dreamed of it! Of course, he would skip the whole dating thing and rather fuck her sister in the back of his car, but Orihime didn't have to know that. He smiled warmly at Orihime, heavily patting Rukia's head like she was a dog. If that's all he had to do to get between Rukia's legs – count him in. "Yeah. I heard about that place. I think that's a good idea, Orihime-chan."

"Brilliant, Asano-san!" Orihime beamed at him, then turned to her sister. "Well, Rukia-chan? What do you think?"

She was staring at Rukia with such big puppy eyes – how could she say no? She hated knowing that she would let her sister down. She was cracking under pressure with all the stares she was getting. "Yeah…" Rukia replied through gritted teeth, her features stone-like. "_Brilliant._"

A teacher observing the grounds noticed the College students under the tree. With a shout, they hurried over to kick them out.

"Damn, witch," muttered Tatsuki darkly. They weren't allowed on the grounds during school hours and always got an earful whenever they were caught. She wasn't in the mood to have a 'chat' with one of the teachers. "C'mon, Hime. Asano. Time to leave."

Orihime pouted. Her time with her sister was cut drastically. She sat up hesitantly, wishing she could go on about the date. _Guess I'll have to wait until Rukia gets home. _"Alright, Tatsuki. I've got to go, Rukia. I'll see you tonight and then we can discuss the arrangements!"

"Later, _Rukia-chan_," Keigo murmured smoothly. He stood up and dusted the knees of his jeans before standing alongside Orihime and Tatsuki. "Guess I'll see you Friday."

The three of them fled the scene before the teacher made it to their tree. Tatsuki had managed to poke her tongue out at them across the street. The teacher scowled at them, the scowled at Rukia before departing and muttering under their breath. When they disappeared, everyone erupted into fits of laughter.

Rukia groaned and threw her head in her hands.

* * *

><p>The last bell finally ended classes that afternoon. The school resonated with chairs scraping back along the tiles and students chattering. Rukia got up from her seat and closed her textbooks. She sighed, carefully putting her volumes in her bag. Momo quickly appeared at her side, helping Rukia pack up.<p>

Rukia smiled tiredly at her friend, "thanks, Momo."

She just shrugged. "It's been a long day, let's walk home together."

They departed from the classroom and walked their way through the afternoon rush in the halls. Rukia didn't have to go to her locker, after all, the only homework she had was history and that was last period. They walked out of the school grounds, ignoring the looks and cat-calls from other students. Rukia rubbed her temples stiffly.

"You want to grab a bite somewhere?" Momo offered. "Ice cream?"

Instantly Ichigo's face flashed through Rukia's mind. "No. Not really."

Momo looked slightly crestfallen as they continued walking down the block. The sun inked the sky in dusty gold and blues. Soon students began to scatter to their respective ways home. Momo glanced at her best friend. "Are you sure?"

Rukia nodded and lifted her head to the sky so she could trace the clouds with her violet orbs. "Yeah. I'm really tired. I haven't been sleeping properly in the past couple of days."

"Yet you still manage to get your homework done on time," Momo commented wistfully. The two girls shared a look and laughed lightly.

"It's called 'time management'. You should try it sometime."

"Hmm, I heard it's called "Brown Nose' Syndrome. You should go see a doctor."

"Fuck you."

"Please, don't flatter me," Momo replied sarcastically. The two girls giggled again.

They stopped at the corner of the block, ready to part ways. Momo glanced nervously around. "You sure you don't want me to come with you?" she asked Rukia quietly.

Rukia smirked. "I can hold my own."

Momo sighed, "touché, dear Rukia. Touché."

The hugged each other and departed. Rukia watched Momo as she crossed the street towards the subway, waving to Rukia. She smiled warmly and waved back at her best friend before heading over one more block to her bus stop.

She took out her phone and looked at the time. She sighed. Yep. She missed her bus. Defeated, she placed her phone back in her bag and dawdled towards the shelter. She turned the corner of the block, her eyes following as a car drove past her.

Waiting at her bus stop was none other than Ichigo.

When Rukia saw him, she instantly smiled. She had to stop walking to actually get her bearings right. It wasn't until he grinned back did she find the courage to walk up to him.

He was donned in his Captain's uniform, propping himself from the bus shelter with his hands in his pants pockets as Rukia approached him.

Rukia craned her head up to him and asked with a knowing smirk, "Are you…stalking me?"

That deserved a laugh and her afternoon brightened significantly. Ichigo pulled out one of his hands, balled it into a fist and playfully nudged her forehead with his knuckles. "Tch, don't flatter yourself, midget."

Rukia rubbed her brow with the back of her hand and pouted, "you still didn't say why you're here."

She dropped her hand and looked up at him only to meet his carefree gaze. "I'm here to escort you home."

"Are you sure you're not waiting for my sister, instead?" Rukia asked carefully, making sure her tone remained even.

Ichigo's gaze moved to the street around them. Satisfied with their privacy, with the exception of passing cars and a couple walking across the street the other way, he gave her a halfhearted smile. "Your sister, Orihime…she finishes her classes at lunch on Mondays, doesn't she? No. I'm not here for her. I was waiting for you."

Rukia's heart was hammering in her chest as she followed Ichigo's gaze. When they turned back to her, they were warm and welcoming. "Well you definitely sound like a professional stalker," she replied thickly, adjusting the bag strap higher on her shoulder. Ichigo shrugged.

She looked over at the bus shelter and sighed. _I've missed the last bus out of here. _"The walk home is eleven blocks away – and that's passing through the park."

"Well let's get going then before Orihime starts freaking out."

He began to walk down the street. It wasn't until he noticed Rukia wasn't following him did he turn around, confused. "What is it, Rukia?"

She hesitated. She knew she would be sounding like an idiot, but she didn't want to force this pain on herself if she avoided asking it. She made sure that her eyes didn't give away what she was feeling inside. Her hands tightened on the strap of her bag, wincing as her bandaged hands stung. "Kurosaki Ichigo…can I trust you?"

The silence was short. A summer breeze passed between them. His confusion settled down into a light scowl, his face absent from any mischievous grins or wicked eyes. In a serious tone, he replied, "of course you can, midget."

She studied him hard to see if he was lying but Ichigo remained passive and thoughtful. She was anticipating for him to comically burst out in laughter and point at her saying, _'I got you good, didn't I?'_ But instead Ichigo walked up to her, so the distance didn't bother both of them and said in a very low voice, "Rukia, you can trust me. I swear I wouldn't do anything that you didn't want me to."

She was shocked at his promise. It rattled her soul to the very core because she believed him. Rukia instantly knew that Ichigo wasn't like any other boy that she met. He was special – a flame in the dark that gave Rukia the sight that was rarely given to anyone.

She pulled back and chuckled nervously, breaking the thick tension of his gaze as she said, "I believe you, idiot."

He smiled; gratified that Rukia had made up her mind to trust him. The last thing he wanted was to make her scared of him. "Come on, let's get going."

They walked together side by side on the pathway in silence for a few minutes. Rukia was chewing the inside of her bottom lip, trying to think of ways to start up a conversation. They crossed the road together and received a few stares. Ichigo was unaware of it all while Rukia took in everything that happened around him.

She wanted to ask him about Orihime.

They neared the park when Ichigo finally decided to speak first. His gaze remained straight ahead with a scowl to match. "What happened to your hands, Rukia?"

She felt like an idiot when she looked at her hands. The tone of his voice almost made her want to hide them. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't look like 'nothing'."

She sighed. "I broke up a fight at school today."

"Eh?" Ichigo was taken aback. Rukia couldn't help but to smirk.

"Not the cliché teenage delinquent you thought I was?" She snickered, amused at his expression. She puffed out her chest proudly.

His tone remained smooth, though his lips curled upwards. "I never knew you were such a badass, midget. Already breaking up fights in high school. You would make a good Shinigami."

She was going to retort to his 'midget' comment but stumbled when he complimented her. Her cheeks reddened – _slightly_. "It wasn't… I mean I didn't get _this-_" she rose her hands up in front of her. "- From the fight. I, uh, I got trampled on…" she replied sheepishly.

Ichigo burst into uncontrollable laughter, sending several looks from the inhabitants of the park their way. Rukia's face went fire truck red as she spluttered, "idiot! How else was I meant to stop the fight? I couldn't go any other way through! Those assholes were just standing there!"

Ichigo tried to calm himself, even though he was on the verge of another way of hysterics. "Okay, okay." He took in deep breaths, snorted and belted out another laugh.

Rukia was pissed. If she wasn't in jeopardy of hurting herself, she would be pummeling his ass into the ground. All she could do was growl beside him, her arms twitching to wrap around his neck. "_Asshole,"_ she hissed and stalked off.

"Wait! Wait, Rukia," Ichigo appeared beside her in a flash, face flush from joviality. She gave him a look and turned her nose up, ignoring him. How she wanted to wipe that damn smile off his face!

He caught up with her easily again. "Hey, hey, hey. I'm sorry. I struck a nerve. I didn't mean it, Rukia. It was just…the way you said how you got your hands that way…"

"You're digging a bigger hole for yourself, Kurosaki," Rukia snapped.

"I'm sorry! Look, I won't mention it again. It would've hurt," he replied, taking a step in front of her. Seeing the upset look on her face – or the way she avoided looking at him, he did the only thing that he thought was logical. Ichigo hugged her.

Rukia instantly stiffened. To be suddenly engulfed by _him_, by his arms, by his scent, by his will, was overwhelming. The warmth of his jacket pressed lightly against her cheek as she swelled against his rock-hard chest. His arms encased her body protectively, strong and firm. And his wild _Reiatsu_. It was like tea and earth combined with a hint of something dark. Rukia's eyes almost rolled into the back of her head.

He bent his head down, so his mouth was nearly muffled by the top her raven locks. "I'm proud of you, Rukia. Not a lot of people would do what you did in that type of situation."

She closed her eyes, her bandaged hands inching towards his jacket.

They stayed like that for a moment. Seconds, minutes, hours. They didn't care. The night would have passed and they wouldn't have minded. They didn't hear the distant sounds of birdcalls or traffic. They didn't notice how the summer air was cooling slowly or that the sky was giving birth to twilight stars. In the shadow of the willow tree, Rukia thought she just _didn't care._

His mouth touched the top of her head and then reluctantly pulled away. Rukia's eyes blinked open as the warm breeze rushed over her hot face. She glared at the ground in front of her, jolting up when she felt Ichigo wrap his hand gently around her wrist.

He tugged her gently to follow and Rukia's legs jerked to trail his. He took them to one of the park benches, hidden from wandering eyes along a small trail. He coaxed her to sit, and sit she reluctantly did. She looked up at him in question as he helped her take her school bag off. "What are you doing…"

He ignored her and sat down next to her on the bench. Rukia watched in wonder as he unzipped her bag and began ransacking. Curious, she leant over, their knees brushing. "Idiot, what are you looking for?"

He pulled out her untouched bento box and opened the lid. "As I thought," he murmured to himself and Rukia blushed. He slid her bag under the bench and pulled out Rukia's chopsticks (which she blushed even more because they had little Chappy heads on the top of them) indifferently. He took out a piece of food from the Bento between the Chappy chopsticks and asked, "Open up."

Rukia was now beyond _red_ with embarrassment – her hands were trembling. "I-it's okay…" she pathetically stammered. _Oh God. I can't do this._

Ichigo gave her an unintentional sexy smile. "Please, Rukia, I know you're starving. Open your mouth."

The food was hovering inches from her face. Unable to talk, she complied. She opened her mouth wide enough for Ichigo to slide the chopsticks in. She closed her mouth over the rice ball, teeth biting gently down on the chopsticks as Ichigo pulled them out gradually. She chewed, savoring the taste and swallowed hungrily as Ichigo got another piece and held it on front of her. She leaned over and took it more confidently. She moaned and closed her eyes. Ichigo smirked.

"I thought you were hungry."

"Shut up."

He fed her all the food until the bento box was empty. Satisfied, Rukia leant back on the bench, swallowing the last portion happily as Ichigo placed her bento back in her school bag. She rubbed her full belly gently as he fished out a chocolate bar from his jacket. He ripped open the aluminum and paper packaging from the top and snapped apiece off. He held the small chocolate block between his fingers and offered, "regardless if you're hungry or not, you are going to eat _all_ of this."

"Why?" Rukia frowned.

"Because you gave away _my_ chocolate bar to some kid yesterday."

Rukia's eyes narrowed. "Yet you gave it to me, so technically it was mine."

"Exactly. It was for you. _Just_ for you, Rukia."

"But I-"

The chocolate and his fingers were suddenly in her mouth. Her tongue instantly lapped the treat away, sucking it to the back of the confinements of her throat. Her teeth grazed his finger as he leisurely pulled them out. His eyes looked like pools of liquid gold as his gaze burned into her. Rukia turned away, but not quick enough to see him lift his fingers to his mouth and lick off the remaining melted chocolate. He snapped another piece off and held it up to her.

Her cheeks sketched in red, Rukia tried to take the chocolate with her fingers. Ichigo raised his arm higher and Rukia glared at him. "You're a jerk."

He gave her a lazy smile. "All your arguments are invalid, as long as you have those bandages wrapped around your hands."

"I'm not a charity case."

"Humor me."

He lowered the treat back down when Rukia crossed her arms against her chest. She pouted. The chocolate was delicious and she did crave the entire bar, but she just didn't want to give Ichigo the satisfaction. She reluctantly caught the treat carefully in between her white teeth and pulled back, nibbling on it in her mouth. Ichigo snapped off another piece, it was when he was looking down at his hands did he speak.

"So…don't take this the wrong way, but you are Orihime don't look much alike."

She slowed her chewing before swallowing. Ichigo looked up at her, only to see her face set into a perfect mask. "Well…we're not blood-related. Any fool could point that out. But I still look up to her as if she was my blood sister."

Ichigo's gaze remained burning into her. "When were you adopted?"

"When I was twelve, the Inoue's took me in."

"Do you remember much of your childhood?"

Rukia looked away, her eyes glazed over. "Enough…" she whispered quietly.

Ichigo was so fascinated by her amethyst eyes that he didn't notice the chocolate melting between his fingers. He quickly pulled out of the conversation. It was obvious she didn't want to talk about it. So he'll wait until she was ready. He can't tear his gaze away from her. "Do you like Orihime as your sister?"

Rukia smiled sadly. "Of course I do. She's the best older sister anyone could ever ask for. She's kind hearted and happy all the time and not to mention very protective. I kind of think of her as the Earth. She draws everyone towards her and when their in her reach, they bloom."

Ichigo was quiet for a moment as he studied her tenderly. "If your sister's the Earth. Then you're the moon."

_And you're the sun,_ she mused.

They fell into a comfortable silence as Ichigo took a bite of the chocolate. Rukia turned to gaze around them, wishing she could just say _something_. She quietly studied the scowl on his face, wanting to know more than anything of what was on his mind.

"Listen…" Ichigo said. "About yesterday…I'm sorry for what happened. I didn't know Orihime was your sister. We met a few weeks ago by the river-"

"I know," Rukia interjected, feeling her chest tighten. "You didn't know. You don't have to explain anything." It meant a lot that he was talking about this to her.

But Ichigo wasn't finished. "I'm – I just want to apologize if I've…upset you."

"Please don't. My sister's been telling me quite a lot about you recently. And I think-" Rukia was about to say that she didn't mind them being together, but the words formed like a hard lump in her throat. "So, do you have a lieutenant? It's not like you run an entire squad by yourself."

"Yeah, I have a lieutenant. Shiba's currently closer at the War though. He should be back in a few days."

"It's getting late. I should start heading home."

"Sure," he replied slowly. "I guess we should head back before nightfall."

Rukia scooped up her bag and stood up. Ichigo gave her the last portion of the chocolate bar and they both headed out of the park. It wasn't until they were a block away from the park did he speak again. "Rukia, your sister and I were never serious, I can tell her that-"

Rukia whipped her head up to him. "No!" Rukia exclaimed. A person jogging past them both gave her a quizzical glance. She lowered her voice. "No, Ichigo. It's impossible. You don't understand. She's my older sister."

No matter how much she wanted to stop walking and just talk to him, she couldn't. They continued walking, crossing a street then up an alley and all that time, Ichigo couldn't stop staring at her.

"She's my _only_ sister," Rukia spoke fondly. "And she's serious about _you_."

Ichigo finally looked away, scowling harder than before. It was obvious he was unhappy about Rukia's point. She squeezed the strap of her bag nervously. "Orihime has gone through a lot and no matter what the cost is, I will always be there to protect her. She is my _only_ sister, Ichigo. I can't lose her."

When Ichigo didn't reply, Rukia started, "you do like Orihime, don't you?"

Quietly, Ichigo replied, "Of course I do, but-"

"Well, it's settled," Rukia interrupted. "You like her and she likes you. There's no more to discuss."

Displeased, Ichigo sighed dejectedly, "No. I guess not."

It all felt a bit too much for her. They both crossed another intersection, arriving just outside of Rukia's neighborhood. Rukia wished she knew what men like Ichigo were thinking. But that was just it, Rukia didn't _know_. She didn't know what men were like at all. She wished she had experience with boys, wished she was as confident as her sister. Rukia just didn't want to be herself.

"So, Rukia. Are you interested in anyone at the moment?"

Rukia chuckled dryly. "No. Though my sister is trying to set me up with one of her college friends."

Ichigo frowned, "You don't seem too pleased." His hands curled into fists at his side.

"I don't really like him."

"Why's that?"

She bitterly looked down at the road under her feet, "we have our differences."

"It seems that you two aren't meant to be."

"Orihime said for me to give him a chance. What do you think?"

"No," he replied at once.

They arrived at the corner of Rukia's street, a little out of sight from her apartment. They both stopped and turned to each other. Rukia didn't want Ichigo to leave already. She was afraid that she would never see him again, especially when she had rejected him. She felt like an idiot. She didn't want to be alone again.

"Ichigo… do you have a family?"

He looked down at her. His eyes pouring into her soul. "I have a father, two younger sisters and a twin brother."

"Do they live near Karakura?"

"No," he replied. He ran a hand through his auburn bangs. "God, Rukia. I want to tell you so many things but I can't."

"Just say it then," Rukia asked quietly.

Ichigo stepped a shade closer, so his body blocked out the setting sun. "Just remember – what's happening in the War right now – both sides equally matched, the years of killing and suffering. It's going to get worse, much worse, Rukia. And it will come very quickly."

Rukia stood still. "I don't understand what this has to do with your family."

Ichigo gave a small, sad smile. "My family is in a very powerful, but compromising position because of the War. I lost my mother seventeen years ago. I've got to go, Rukia, okay?"

Rukia's eyes cast downwards onto the cracks of the pavement. Ichigo slowly leant over and tugged her stubborn bang affectionately. "Don't worry. No matter how we wish that things were different, they will never really turn out the way that we want them to. Yes?"

Rukia knew he wasn't just talking about his mother. She nodded slowly. "True."

"I need to head back to the Barracks," he said. "I'll see you, Rukia."

Rukia didn't want him to leave. She wanted to ask him when they'll meet again. Will he still come and meet her after school by the bus stop? She felt like an idiot.

"Bye, Ichigo."

Rukia didn't want to go home. She didn't want to be back in the hall, in the kitchen, in her shared bedroom. She wanted to be back at the park, to be fed by Ichigo again, or at the bus shelter where he promised her, or even at the grocery store they both went to yesterday. She just didn't want to go back home without him _there_.

She mused at the front door for a bit, playing around with the hidden key before sighing defeated and slipping it into the lock.

* * *

><p>Orihime was home. She was sitting at the coffee table, her study books spread all over the place. She had the TV going in the background and dinner sitting on the stove.<p>

"Rukia! You're finally home," she said.

"Yeah…I missed my bus."

Orihime frowned. "You didn't walk all the way here alone did you?"

"No. I had a friend drop me off at the corner."

Orihime smiled warmly. "You're so lucky to have friends that care for you, little sis."

Rukia slipped off her shoes and took of her bag. Orihime went back to her study, shouting as Rukia walked down the hall, "there's chicken and broccoli soup on the stove if you're hungry! I bet you didn't eat you're lunch."

Rukia was feeling full – both in body and soul when she remembered only an hour ago Ichigo was feeding her. She declined gently, "Thanks, Hime. But I already ate on my way home."

Rukia went into her room and changed out of her uniform. She slipped into Orihime's hand-me-down faded t-shirt and shorts before walking back down stairs. She took her schoolbag and ventured to sit down next to Orihime. She moved her large textbook over to give Rukia some space to place her homework.

After a few goes of trying to use her pen, Rukia gave up. Her hands were too thickly bandaged. If she couldn't use her chopsticks, there was no way she could use a pen. "Hime, can you change my bandages."

"I'm a little busy, sis," she replied, scrutinizing her _Biology and Medical_ _Procedures_ book. She finished writing down a note – looping her 'l's and hearting her dots before sighing and placing the pen down. "Alright. Let me have a look."

They undid the nurse' bandages, washed Rukia's hands and rewrapped them. Orihime was careful, placing a little bit of ointment on the swelling near Rukia's knuckles. It was only them, the open window and the quiet sounds of summer and the TV. "You know…this brings back memories."

Rukia sat quietly in front of her, offering her hand for her sister to wrap. Orihime was gentle, clipping the wrapping in place before starting on her other hand.

"You were so silly when you were a kid. You always climbed trees and ran around with no shoes on. Daddy would get so mad at you," she whispered. "And you used to come up to me with bruises all over you after you got in trouble by him. You would come back into my room and I had to pull out my stash of butterfly band aids."

Rukia remained silent.

Orihime continued, her eyes glazing over, "and I'd always asked if you were okay and you know what you'd say? You'd say '_I'm fine, Hime. There's nothing to worry about_'."

She looped the wrap twice around Rukia's palm before she spoke again. In a quieter voice than before. "And I'd tell you that I was sorry that Daddy had hit you and that he wasn't mad at you, but at himself. We used to hide underneath my bed every time you came back from his room. We'd make a tent with the sheets and pillows…"

Rukia closed her eyes.

Orihime tightened the wrap before clipping the end of it closed. She kept Rukia's hand in her own for a while. Her face was bowed and her eyes were hidden by her summer bangs. "You would-"

"Hime, please stop," Rukia croaked, opening her eyes again. Orihime's grip on her hand began to tremble. Rukia raised her other hand to press it gently against Orihime's cheek. "There's no need to bring it up."

Orihime nodded, tears slowly falling down her cheeks. She giggled nervously, her voice cracking. "You're right. Silly, old me…"

She looked up to her younger sister, her smile warm but wobbly. "O-of course, Rukia." She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. She gives Rukia's hand a gentle squeeze and she gave Orihime a small smile of her own.

"I love you, Rukia," she whispered, casting her eyes downward. "As my little sister, I would do anything for you. It's my turn to stand up for you. It's my turn to protect _you_. I'm going to study hard so I can graduate and become a nurse. And then we'll go somewhere. Even Kurosaki-kun can come too…" Her eyes were warm and gentle. "And it will be the three of us. We could start a new life together."

Rukia gave Orihime a soft smile. "That's a nice idea, Hime."

Rukia brought their heads in until their foreheads touched. It was a calming method she had learnt when they were kids to relax the other. They sat there for a few minutes until both of them were feeling considerably better. Rukia spoke first. "Come on, there's assignments to do."

They went back to studying. After Orihime had read through most of her textbooks and written down enough notes to satisfy the upcoming test, she went out. Rukia didn't ask where, she suspected it was to see Ichigo. Rukia refused to feel self-pity and forced herself to finish her Monday night homework. Tired and drained from a big day, she gave up on her History essay and went to bed.

She woke up at two seventeen in the morning to a sound she never heard before. It was a shrieking siren piercing through the Karakura night outside. Scared, Rukia stumbled out of her sheets and called for Orihime. But her sister still wasn't home. Terrified, Rukia crawled to the corner of the room and wrapped herself up into a tiny ball. The siren went on for almost fifteen minutes. _Were the Espada attacking already?_ Rukia hid her head under her hands, shaking. Being alone with the sound had petrified her.

Rukia couldn't go to sleep after the siren faded and the night had settled. How could she when her sister wasn't home?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: OMG I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE SHIBAAAAAAARRRRRGGGHHHH-DONNNNOOOO 3**

**Ichiruki - EAT YOUR HEART OUT!**

**Rukia: *pokes head around my bedroom door* Uh~I think you need to stop writing. The story is going to your head.**

**Me: What? WHAT? NEVER! *noodle dances* How can you say that Rukia-chan! After all I wrote about you! *cried a river and sailed down it on a boat***

**Rukia: *backs away behind Ichigo* She scares me.**

**Ichigo: *haunted face***

**Me: I have so many scenes to write! Not to mention to try and think of a perfect scenario of how you two are going to share your first kiss! OH! And I'll need to add in everyone else too. Toshiro, Aizen, Grimmjow, Ulquiorra, Nel, Ishida, Isshin, Shirosaki, Ukitake, the milkman, someone's OC, Gin, Rangiku, Old Man, Urahara-**

**Ichigo: -_-'**

**Rukia: o_e**

**Me: *frolics around* OH! And if any of the readers have suggestions for songs, let me know! I always love listening to a song to get me motivated for IR chappies! See you in the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Thank you to those who reviewed (and reviewed again!) in the second chapter. Your reviews made me feel fuzzy :)**

**Angelcakes4611, ****soinlovewithbleach, ****xXStarGirl13Xx, ****Cutie Emo Panda, ****Saverina, ****SeXyNaUgHTyBitChYmE, ****BITCH OF LOVE, ****cprEe, ****Titania, ****garu23 **(sorry I made you wait so long!)**, ****Hef'Rani, ****Animaddie, ****henjien, ****.stars, ****xwhitemoonx, ****stars, ****TingBlingKing, ****BleachFan**

**BEFORE I FORGET GUYS - Listen to '_Waking Dream' _by Natalie Walker or '_Shattered'_ by Trading Yesterday. They are just UNF~**

**Both so haunting but beautiful...**

**Thank you to my lovely Beta-Reader, Chappy12 for editing this chapter.**

* * *

><p><em>"Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?" <em>  
><em>"That depends a good deal on where you want to get to." <em>  
><em>"I don't much care where –" <em>  
><em>"Then it doesn't matter which way you go." <em>  
><em>― <em>Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

* * *

><p>3<p>

At the morning assembly at school the next day, Rukia was told the new evacuation procedures. The principal had remained calm as he spoke, even though ripples of apprehension grew amongst the students. There was restlessness in the air. Murmuring filled the courtyard. Teachers remained stoic and expressionless, fencing the teenagers. The principal, Otu-senpai, had called, "This is a time not to panic. But we cannot stress enough that in case of such emergencies we must know how to effectively evacuate the building with as little trouble as possible."

The assembly only heightened the consternation within everyone. Rukia was amongst the very few that remained quiet and calm. After all, Ichigo on two occasions had mentioned that war might not be that far away from the city. She had dealt with that truth in her own way. But to see that little seed of knowledge been shown to a crowd, she couldn't help but to inwardly feel nervous.

No one was ready for war; it was evident within the tension in the air. People held their breath, stole glances at others. Some dropped their heads to their shoes, their eyes glazed over in thought. When the assembly was finished, conversation began. It was all the same. Some nervous chuckles came from those who didn't believe it. I mean, the war was nowhere near the city, right? I mean, they would have said something on the news, right? They would have told us, wouldn't they? They wouldn't leave us in the dark, _right_?

They were sent back to their designated homerooms and spent a good hour going through the new evacuation procedures with their homeroom teachers. There was also news that classes were going to be cut shorter – at least an hour earlier, until further notice. That was, Rukia guessed, when the threat of war was over. An evacuation siren, similar to the one that sounded last night screeched through the speakers throughout their new alarm tests in first period. Rukia's stomach churned at the horrid sound, realizing that it may be a noise she would have to get used to very soon.

Classes that day were slow, Rukia's bandaged hands were sore, but her bruises were yellowing and her scrapes were healing. She had trouble with her chopsticks at lunch but had managed to eat. The gossip about the fight was quickly replaced by rumors of the war. But it wasn't forgotten. Rukia still received cautious glances in the hallways, sneers from certain groups of girls or boys. She shrugged it off. Like she was going to waste her time on something stupid and trivial like that.

By afternoon classes, teachers had announced that some Shinigami officials were scouting for those interested into joining their ranks the following week. Almost everyone had volunteered to attend the special assembly – so much that Rukia thought there was going to be no one left in her class. Rukia remained seated, her hands clasped together. Without a doubt, she wanted to become a Shinigami. But not through a system like this – where they only picked potential soldiers because they were _there_.

Rukia and Momo walked to the corner together that afternoon. Rukia watched back as Momo jogged across the street, shouting playfully back at her. Rukia began to walk, but before she could even get to the bus stop she saw Ichigo's orange-hair and the said soldier leaning against the shelter again.

Rukia hurried over. "Hey," she said. She couldn't be bothered feigning disinterest. She smiled. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to walk you home. How was your day? Did you get into any other fights?"

Rukia chuckled dryly. "No I didn't. School was long. We had an assembly today about our new school evacuation methods. Did you know that?"

Ichigo's eyes fell to hers. "I knew of it … somewhat. It's good that you are practicing it at least. One of the other Captains had just recently signed the papers for that actually."

Rukia took a deep breath in. "So it's true? A lot of students were scared."

"It has always … been a case. And they shouldn't be. It's necessary pre-caution. Did anything else happen today?"

"Not really, like you said, we just practiced it and then classes went back to normal. Did you know that some Shinigami officials are visiting the campus next week?"

Ichigo's eyes hardened – just a little. Amber specks tightened. "Yes, Captain Yamamoto had ordered for the others to find…suitable candidates."

"Who's he?"

"He's liiiikkkke…" Ichigo searched for a suitable word. The corner of his mouth curled up, his eyes caught hers. "…my boss … in a way."

"And I'm guessing that you're not coming next week?" She was a little disappointed.

Ichigo shook his head. "As much as I would _love_ to go back to school, I can't. If it would be anyone, it would be the lieutenants. Captains don't really have time for that, we're already up to our necks in the war as it is."

Rukia's heart swelled – as cheesy as she had to admit. The feeling made her dizzy. They began their walk towards the park – she didn't think twice about getting onto the bus – which had just passed them. Spending time with Ichigo walking was much better than spending it on a quick bus trip. She bit her lip. "Had a busy day?"

Ichigo sighed. "Long. There are a lot of things that I have to look through. You wouldn't believe me if I told you how much paper work is involved with my job. The preparations and the rations – I have to sign pretty much everything."

They fell away from the street and into the familiar twisting pebble stone path. "Preparations for the city?" she guessed. Ichigo nodded. "Is there many of them?"

"There is enough to keep someone like me busy. But the constant signing is cramping my hand." He flexed his hand a couple of times. "Seriously, it ranges from whether you're allowed to scratch you ass in public to transferring warheads across the state. People ask for such stupid things, it's impossible to keep on track. Today I had to sign a paper of how much noodles the kitchen needs for next week! Half the time I wonder if I'm signing just bullshit..."

"Well apparently they're important, otherwise you wouldn't be approving them," Rukia replied. "And you shouldn't complain too much about it either, idiot. It's your job."

"I'm sure no one would really care if the kitchen got eighteen cartons of noodles instead of twenty."

"Apparently it is."

"A waste of time," Ichigo added.

"For you because you're an _idiot_."

Ichigo shrugged. "I'm letting that one slide, midget."

"Thanks, _strawberry._"

"Oi!"

"What?" she replied innocently. "Isn't that what your feminine name suggests?"

"Contrary to popular belief, my name means 'one' and 'guardian'," he said coolly. "And it's not 'feminine'." He added sternly.

Rukia chuckled. She had hit a soft spot. She looked over to him, her eyes falling on the wrapped hilt of his weapon. "Why are you carrying around your Zanpakutō? Are you on duty?"

"I'm off duty until eleven tonight," he said. "I've been ordered to keep him with me at all times."

"But they're not here yet, are they?" Rukia asked, trying to be jovial.

"Not yet," was his short reply.

Rukia noticed that Ichigo didn't call his Zanpakuto 'it' but rather 'him'. "Is he heavy?"

"Zangetsu is light as a feather for me," Ichigo replied and smiled. "Do you want to hold him?"

"Yes," she said breathlessly. They stopped walking and Ichigo reached out for Zangetsu behind his back. The wrappings immediately spiraled off, re-wrapping itself like a snake around Ichigo's sash. He swung the sword gently over his shoulder for Rukia to look at. The midnight blade looked more sharp and menacing than ever as it glinted cautiously at Rukia. Ichigo moved his palm to the top of the hilt and offered Rukia to hold the end.

"He might be a little heavy," Ichigo told her. "Zangetsu doesn't sit well with strangers. He keeps to himself."

Rukia hesitated. "Can you…ask him if it's okay if I can hold him?"

Ichigo's eyes sparkled after a moment of silence, "he said it's alright. Just… try not to drop him."

"Okay," she nodded. She gripped the hilt with both her hands for extra measure. Ichigo's grip was keeping Zangetsu horizontal. When Rukia felt comfortable, he let go.

The tip of Zangetsu's blade immediately hit the dirt harshly. Rukia squeaked, barely able to keep the heavy blade horizontal. "Holy _crap_, he's heavy!"

Ichigo snatched Zangetsu from her grasp the second it had fallen to the ground. There was an undeniable glint of amusement within his eyes. "Hey! Pipe it down, the old man can hear you!"

Zangetsu's midnight surface glared at her before it was quickly and effortlessly wrapped back into it's bindings on Ichigo's back. Rukia pouted, "aw, I'm sorry Zangetsu. I didn't mean to offend you."

Ichigo chuckled. "He knows. He'll get over it."

They continued walking and Rukia shook her head in bewilderment. "I don't know how you do it. Carrying Zangetsu and other things."

"It's not just carrying him, Rukia. It's swinging him, running and falling over and jumping back up with him. I have a strong bond with Zangetsu. The stronger the bond is with a Zanpakuto, the lighter the sword is. To me, he feels like nothing but the clothes on my back. To someone like you, he might feel like carrying another person."

Rukia smiled. "It's good that you have such a strong bond with your Zanpakutō."

Ichigo chuckled. "It wasn't easy at first. I had to prove myself a hell of a lot in the beginning just for him to cooperate."

They crossed the park. Ichigo kept his pace slow but his steps long. For Ichigo to just take one step, Rukia had to take two. He was considerate enough to let Rukia keep up easily. "How are your hands? Did you clean the bandages?"

"Yes. Orihime changed them for me last night. They're getting better."

Ichigo nodded his head in reply. "It's good that she looks after you like that."

Rukia gave a light shrug. "She's always had a thing for nursing. Sometimes I get to be the patient."

Ichigo chuckled. "My sister's used to play that 'Doctors and Nurses' all the time. Yuzu would always wrap Karin up in towels and cover her arms with Band-Aids. To be honest, I don't think Karin really appreciated that most of the time. They got into a lot of fights."

"How old are your sisters?"

"They're both twenty-two. Twins," Ichigo raised his arm and stretched. "But Yuzu always likes to remind Karin that she's the oldest by eight minutes. That usually starts a lot of fights too."

"Are they always competitive?" Rukia asked. If she ever had a twin, she was sure she would never have a sane mind.

Ichigo chuckled. "Very. But most of the time they just don't bother fighting about it. They grew up sharing everything together, so they've learnt how to compromise well."

Rukia smiled. "Guess it's a sisterly thing."

"Guess so." He looked over at her, musing for a moment. A summer breeze ruffled his bangs, as his eyes became soft honey. "I think they would really like you."

"I'd like to meet them one day. All of them."

"I think they would like that. We'll just have to avoid my dad when he gets out the photo albums."

"I'm sure you were _adorable_," Rukia teased, her eyes glinting. "I wouldn't miss the chance to see a baby Ichigo having his first bath time or having his first fall-"

His eyes narrowed, his voice mischievous. "On second thought, you and my dad would probably get along _too _well."

"Is that a bad thing?" She chuckled.

Ichigo nodded. "Very bad." He grinned.

"Afraid that he might say something embarrassing, eh?" Rukia leaned over, hands on hips and a cat-like smile on her lips.

His grin widened. "I wouldn't trust you two if my life depended on it."

"Idiot! That's rude!"

Ichigo leant over and pinched Rukia's nose lightly between his thumb and forefinger. She swatted his hand away and made a face. Ichigo laughed. "Anything for you."

Her cheeks brightened. "You're an idiot."

"But you find it '_adorable'_."

"Pfft." She rolled her eyes. "I said that you might have been adorable when you were a baby." She gestured her hand over his form. "You my friend are _not_ adorable. What happened?"

The smirk returned as he leant his head beside hers. His warm breath pressed lightly against her cheek, his hair prickling her jaw. "I turned _sexy._"

Rukia almost doubled over. Her face heated tremendously. Butterflies were now attacking her stomach. Ichigo had just pulled away and laughed, his eyes bright and playful. D-damn him! She wanted to wipe that stupid smirk off his face! She was blushing furiously – and her face would be tomato red by now. How did she know? It felt like she had just taken it out of an oven. "I-idiot!" she growled, unable to form a logical sentence. Her body was humming. "Who in they're right mind would think you're sexy!"

It was a rhetorical question, but Ichigo took the chance to see Rukia squirm again. "Apparently that's what I've been told by the general population…" He mused. He tapped a finger to his chin in pretend-thought. His bright eyes catch hers and his smirk becomes a little hidden as he fakes innocence. "What do you think, Rukia? Do you think I'm sexy?"

_Oh, god yes._ She would've said that in a heart beat. She found Ichigo Kurosaki remarkably sexy – to the point where it wasn't logically possible. What seemed to fit his… caliber was almost 'god-like'. He was so sexy to a point that even just his voice made her melt. But she was sure that her truthful contribution to his question would equate to his ego to almost suffocate her...

"No," she spat. "Don't flatter yourself, idiot. Besides, you're hardly my type." She sniffed rather matter-of-factly. She crossed her arms and looked somewhere else. Anywhere else. So she didn't have to see that devil of a grin widening at her.

They continued to walk to Rukia's neighborhood. She talked about school and what subjects she did. She told him about the students in her classes and what her teachers were like. She mentioned her mid-term exams that were coming up in a few weeks time and how she was studying for them. Ichigo seemed to listen well with what she had to say. Rukia found out that Ichigo never went to a public school.

"What do you mean, you never went to one?" she asked.

"I was home-schooled like my siblings. We never went to school because our name would attract too much attention. Back then we weren't allowed any distractions. Home-schooling was the norm." He shrugged. "My uncle was a very wise man. He taught us a lot of things he knew. I didn't see the necessity to be in a class full of kids. My brother was equal enough to that."

"Was it distracting to be with your brother?"

Ichigo chuckled dryly. "Most of the time we were sent to opposite corners of the room. My uncle couldn't stand us being together – we were always up to something. My brother liked to play a lot of tricks on him when we studied."

"What's your brother's name?"

They stopped at the footpath before they crossed the road. "Shirosaki. My mother named him that because she loved winter."

They arrived at the spot they had departed at yesterday. Rukia wanted to sit down with him and talk about his family some more. Was asking all these questions about his family a good thing? Wouldn't knowing about his family bring her closer to him when she wanted to feel as far away from him as possible?

"So… I'll guess I'll see you tomorrow…" Rukia started reluctantly – _very_ reluctantly as she stared down at her school shoes.

"Do you want to sit for a minute?" Ichigo asked suddenly. Just near her house was a tiny public orchard the council had built a few years back. It was very small, but there was a stone bench there. "We could sit over there for a bit. Want to?"

"Sure." Rukia tried not to barrel over to the spot in excitement.

After they sat down, Rukia noticed Ichigo's heavy expression. It was as if he wanted to say something to her, but didn't know how. It wasn't about Orihime, was it? She thought they were over it. She wasn't. But Ichigo was older. He should be.

"What's up?" Rukia asked slowly.

He just shook his head slightly and leant down so his elbows went to the tops of his knees and his head was propped on top of his fisted hands. She wanted to comfort him, but she knew that it might be awkward. So she just sat beside him and crossed her leg over the other.

She frowned and tipped her head to the side. "Ichigo…" She was slightly worried now. He suddenly looked extremely tired.

"I want to tell you so many things, Rukia."

She thought about it for a while and nodded. "Well then… tell me."

"I don't know where to start though. I mean, we've barely met." Their eyes caught and Ichigo turned to focus on the small water fountain in front of them. Rukia's gaze flickered to a passing car. "Where to start?" he murmured to himself.

"Why don't you start with your family?" she offered.

He nodded. "My mom was born in here in Karakura – a few tram drives from here actually. My dad lived over in the neighboring city at the time. Her name was Masaki. She lived a good life. She was an only child and her parents loved her very much. Mom was seventeen when she first met my dad. She was running errands for her mother and father. Most people said that it was a chance meeting but I know it was more than that. It was fate, I suppose."

"Love at first sight?" she guessed. Ichigo smiled.

"I guess you could say that. At first they couldn't stand each other. Dad would always try and woo her but mom wouldn't take any of it. She just thought he was a big playboy back then. But Dad never gave up. He went to her house every night and every morning to make sure he was the last and first thing she saw when she was went to sleep and woke up. I guess the old man's craziness paid off eventually and mom finally decided to give him a chance."

Rukia grinned, her eyes twinkling. "You're dad seems pretty persistent."

Ichigo shrugged. "He was a crazy idiot that loved her too much. They always spent as much time as they could together. He was a big softie. He'd buy her flowers and everything! And mom soon fell in love with him. When he felt like he was ready, he asked her parents if he could marry her. They agreed. Everyone was excited. However, the elder's on my dads side did not like the marriage at all."

His voice became smaller. A scowl was slowly returning. "They told my dad that he couldn't marry her because she wasn't from a specific bloodline. Back then, arranged marriages were the norm and soon my dad was forced to marry another woman in order to keep the elder's happy. But the news devastated mom and it wasn't until the marriage was announced did she realize she was pregnant.

"She had become depressed. She was expecting a happy life with the man of her dreams and the father of her children. Mom tried to contact my dad a few months before she gave birth to tell him of the news but the elder's ignored her and casted her out to the streets again. She was nothing more than trash to them." His body became tense and his eyes narrowed. Rukia felt the subtle shift of his reiatsu becoming darker. "They were too busy waiting for the other woman my dad was wedded to, to get pregnant. But she couldn't and eventually the elder's were losing hope. It wasn't until mom gave birth to my brother and myself did the elder's finally take notice of her.

"By that time, dad found out and he immediately dropped the engagement with the other woman. He rushed over to my mom's house but he was too late – she had already given birth. He became very protective of her after that and stormed through his home the next day and cast out almost everyone. There was disorder in the household. Some stayed and chose his side, while other's abandoned and never came back. Mom soon came to live with him and they lived together. Her life started to finally piece back together. She was starting to become happier. But it was soon taken from her when my dad was sent to the front line at the Winter War.

"He didn't return home for months and the only contact they had were through the letters that they wrote to each other every day. Shirosaki and I had started out home schooling but we were both worried about her. My brother never really showed any… positive emotions when he was a kid. He usually kept to himself. He always wandered off in the gardens – finding dead things that he could take back to his room and dissect. He enjoyed science, but he loved fighting. Most fights he shared with me, but sometimes he would fight with one of the stable boys or a kid that looked at him funny. He loved mum – just as much as I did. Maybe even more, I don't know. But when we both went to see our baby sisters for the first time, something changed in him that day. He became quieter to a point where mom was beginning to worry about him. He withdrew from mealtimes, went to his room more and gotten into more fights.

"I think he was jealous of our sisters. He wanted mom to himself. On several occasions we found ourselves fighting each other. The fights always escalated out of control. One day we were fighting and he said something to mom that made me so angry. It wasn't until she passed away the next day did he finally stop fighting for her all together."

* * *

><p><em>18 Years Ago<em>

_It had been raining all week._

_Inside one of the marble corridors there was a flurry of shouts. Ichigo and Shirosaki had each other by the scruffs of their cotton-shirt collars, hitting and shoving each other as the burst into the hallway. The eight-year-old twins fought as hard as they could, sending wild punches at each other. Shirosaki tackled his brother to his back on the floor, earning a small grunt from Ichigo. His fists rammed into his stomach as he screamed nasty words at his brother. Ichigo kneed him in the stomach and both boys rolled over the marble ground as they savagely attacked each other shouting profanities._

_There was shouting all around them – somewhere their mother was running up to them, telling them to _stop_. Their sister's – barely toddlers at that age were crawling to the doorframe. Yuzu had started crying, her dummy falling out of her mouth. Karin began to wail as well. A maid tried to usher the children back into the room, closing the door behind her. The brother's fights always terrified the younger ones._

_The brother's were instantly yanked away from each other and restrained in the arms of two adults. The boys snarled at each other, squirming in the iron-like arms. Their uncle had taken Shirosaki while Masaki pulled back Ichigo. They stared heatedly at each other, hatred burning in their eyes. There was a small cut on Shirosaki's lip from where Ichigo had punched him. A thin trail of blood found it's way to Ichigo's jaw from where Shirosaki had pushed him into the corner of the wall._

"_Take it back!" shouted Ichigo, tears from the pain welling in his eyes. He struggled in his mother's grip. "Take back what you said about her!"_

_Shirosaki was also struggling in his uncle's grip. "Truth hurts, doesn't it, brother? It doesn't matter what you say! It's still the truth!"_

"_Bastard!" Ichigo screamed. He clawed at the air for his brother's face but Masaki tugged him back. Masaki scolded at the two boys. Shirosaki gave him a menacing grin._

"_Hurts to hear that our mother is a whore, brother?"_

"_I'm going to KILL YOU!" Ichigo roared._

"_Our _mother_ is nothing but a dirty-"_

_A hand came out and struck hard across Shirosaki's face with enough force to knock the child down. The corridor was quiet for a second before Ichigo's grunts and protests started up again – this time to see if he brother was alright. And if so – so he could kick his head in._

_Shirosaki was motionless on the floor until he shakily got back up on his feet. His eyes were calm and cold as he stared up emotionless to his uncle. The man towered over the little boy, lowering his raised hand. "Do you want me to hit you again, boy? You dare use that language about your mother?"_

_A small smirk slowly grew before it was instantly slapped off again. Shirosaki's head snapped to the side. He stumbled back a bit, but he didn't fall. His white bangs covered his eyes. Both his cheeks were stinging red and swelling._

"_Don't touch him!" Ichigo bellowed hysterically. "Leave him alone-!"_

_His uncle turned towards him. It wasn't until he felt his face snap to the side did he realize he had been struck across the cheek. Masaki gasped a little, and cradled her son closer to her chest, her eyes sad. His uncle glared down at Ichigo. "Leave. Now."_

_He felt his mother gently pulling him away from the corridor into her room. She was whispering sweet nothings in his ear. But Ichigo squirmed in his grasp. The last thing he saw was his uncles back towering over his brother before the beatings began._

* * *

><p>"Mom was hit by a car the next morning on her way to church." His voice was barely a whisper by now. His eyes were down casted. The memories were almost too painful to remember. "I was looking after my sister's back home when it happened. She was taking Shirosaki to the church so they could talk to the bishop – to see if they could sort out what was wrong. Atone for his sins. A car lost control in the rain and struck her. We had a funeral for her. It was a small gathering. For weeks after her death I always found my brother just standing outside in the middle of the rain. When she died, the last bit of humanity left my brother. He was never the same again."<p>

Speechless, Rukia sat next to Ichigo with both hands caressing his arm up and down. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, wanting desperately to touch his face but she didn't. "Ichigo, do you hear me? I'm so sorry."

"I hear you. It's alright, Rukia," he said, getting up. "My mother and brother are gone, but I'm still here. That counts for something, right?"

She couldn't get up from the bench. His story was overwhelming. "Wait, wait. What happened to your father? Or your uncle? What about the ones that stayed back?"

Ichigo glanced at his watch. "What happens to time when I'm with you?" he muttered. "Look, I have to go. I'll talk about it another day."

_Another day?_ She stood up and they slowly walked back onto the footpath. "Have you told Orihime any of this?" Rukia asked.

"No, Rukia," Ichigo replied, not looking at her.

She walked quietly beside him to the corner. "Thank you for telling me," she said quietly. "I'm glad you did."

"Yes, me too," Ichigo said.

"Whenever you feel like talking. I always here to listen, okay?"

"Someday. I promise." Ichigo smiled.

He bent and kissed her gently on the cheek. His lips were warm and his bangs prickled her face. "Be careful walking home," Ichigo said after her. Rukia's face burned, but she mechanically started walking to her house. Ichigo chuckled and Rukia watched him walk away, a feeling of despair washing over her.

What if he turned around and saw her? She must look like an idiot standing there staring at him. As if he could read her mind, Ichigo turned around. Caught, Rukia tried to move but she was too slow. He saluted her. _He must think I'm a complete moron staring after him. _She took a chance and grinned before she raised her hand and saluted him back.

* * *

><p>Rukia was chatting to Momo in the courtyard the next day as they headed off to their biology class. She was halfway through explaining something that had to do with the Winter War.<p>

"Hey, Rukia!"

She turned around when her name was called. Standing on the other side of the school fence was her friend, Renji. His long arms had snaked through the iron bars of the fence and he pressed his face against the poles. He had a lit cigarette in one hand. He gave her a lazy smile when their eyes locked.

"I'll catch up with you later," Rukia waved back to Momo.

"But what about Biology class?" Momo huffed. Her eyes narrowed suspiciously at the man. Renji's eyes flickered to hers and he greeted Momo as well. The brunette rolled her eyes. "You shouldn't be smoking, idiot!" She poked her tongue out. Then turned to Rukia. "I'll see you in a minute?"

"Sure."

Rukia glanced around to check if there were any teachers out on duty. She made her way to the fence as Renji propped the cigarette in his mouth through the bars and huffed.

"What are you doing here, Renji?" she hissed. If she got in trouble with talking to him – she was going to _kill_ him! She gave him a once over. He was wearing a dark leather jacket over a loose grey singlet. His long bright red hair was pulled back into a sloppy ponytail. Wrapped around his hairline was a black cotton head wrap. He stood up and withdrew one of his arms away from the bar. A silver ring 'clinked' against the pole as he fished out his phone from his dirty skinny-leg jeans.

He looked over to her and smirked. "Skip class. Let's hang out."

Her nose crinkled a little at the smoke. It was faint as he blew it away from them both. "I'm still in school. Can't it wait until afterwards?"

"No." His eyes were playful. "You have to skip class _now_."

Rukia glanced back warily to the school building. It was just biology… and she did like hanging around Renji…

He noticed her beginning to faze. "C'mon, Rukia. Just this once. We haven't gotten together for ages. We used to be inseparable in summer break."

She bit her lip.

"Please, Rukia? I missed having you around to talk to." He gave her his best puppy eyes. She frowned. "C'mon…" He reached out and lightly shook her arm. His thumb grazed over her warm skin. "Just a little bit. I have my bike and everything. I could drop you home too."

She shook his grip off and sighed, defeated. "Fine." He grinned. She gave him a steady look. "But you're not taking me home. You drop me off right here when classes finish, okay?"

He chuckled and leant back to stand to his full height. There was a light frown on his face. "Alright, alright. Hurry up and grab your stuff before I change my mind."

Rukia hurried back across the courtyard, up the stairs and slipped into the quiet corridors. There were no students around – classes had already started. She silently went up the stairs to the second level and crossed another corridor – peeking around corners for teachers as she went. Her shoes quietly tapped against the floors as she spotted her locker – next to the large window at the end of the hall. _Renji better wait for her._She glanced out of the window and _just_ spotted him leaning against the pillar by the school gates. She huffed and turned to her locker.

She fidgeted with the lock to their rightful combinations until a small 'click' sounded. She glanced around and opened the locker door to find something fall between her feet.

Rukia frowned. _Strange_. She set her books aside on the floor as she bent down to pick it up. It was a piece of paper – folded twice as it sat on the top of her left shoe. She picked it up, curious and unfolded the unaddressed letter.

There was one word written on it. It had been written down by a ball-point pen.

あくま.

_(Akuma.)_

Rukia blinked back at the words. Her breath caught in her throat. _What the hell?_ She scrutinized the paper in her hands and slowly ran her fingers over the words. They had been etched into paper – as if who ever wrote it was rather angry. Her fingers began to tremble.

This can't mean…

_No._ Her mind instantly rebuked. It's impossible. She turned around and carefully gazed at her surroundings. She wondered if the culprit was still lurking. She slowly stood up, holding the paper to her side in one hand as her eyes swooped around the lockers. There was no one in the hall but herself.

Rukia quickly shoved her books in her locker and pulled out her messenger back. She slid the strap over her head and on her shoulder and closed her locker before heading back down stairs. She folded the paper in her hands and slipped it into the bottom of her bag. She didn't want to deal with that right now. She double checked that there were no teachers around and hurried off to find Renji.

"Ready?" Renji asked her as she approached him on the footpath. His cigarette was long abandoned, stubbed on the cement. Rukia nodded and sent a message to Momo.

_Won't be coming to class. See you tomorrow._

She got an instant reply. _D: What? Fine then. Have fun!_

"I'm ready," Rukia breathed and smiled up at her friend. "So…where are we going?"

Renji went over to his bike – a black Harley Davidson – parked until the shade of one of the trees that loomed over the footpath. There were two helmets perched on the bike – and one he tossed over to Rukia. She caught it with her two hands. It was a little heavy – but it was small. It was _hers._ Renji gave her a grin.

"That's for me to know and you to find out."

He slid onto the leather seat and coaxed Rukia to do the same. She slipped on the helmet and perched herself behind him. The warmth of the leather pressed against her inner thighs. She wriggled into a comfortable position behind him, tucking her skirt down between her legs.

He twisted the ignition and the Harley roared into life. Rukia almost face-palmed. Now the whole school would know she was skipping class! Oh well. _Sorry Altyzo-sensei._ She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and Renji pulled into the street.

They drove for almost half an hour. Rukia pressed the side of her head to Renji's back as she watched the scenery fly past her. She had gotten a couple of stares from people but just ignored them. She closed her eyes as the warm wind blew past them and the sunlight warmed her face and body. The comforting rumble of the Harley's engine made her relax.

They stopped and Rukia opened her eyes to feel Renji slipping his helmet off. She blinked and looked at the surroundings. They were at the carnival at the Karakura warf. Her heart thumped excitedly as her eyes fell on the large structure of the Ferris wheel. She slipped off the bike and pulled off her helmet, shaking her hair. She left it on the Harley as Renji smirked at her. _She was cute when she did that._

"Come on," he offered and began to walk. "Let's get something to eat."

They walked side by side down the warf. There were quite a few people visiting the show grounds – there were even a few students who had skipped class and were playing at the stalls. Rukia and Renji made their way to the area where the food stalls were.

"Why are we here?" Rukia asked excitedly. Her eyes lit up at the passing sounds and the joyful screams on the rides in the distance.

Renji chuckled. "I work here, remember? Besides, I have the day off and they had a new ride built the other week." They walked up to the counter. The smells of cooked food wafted over them. He pulled out his wallet. "I thought you would like to try it out with me."

Rukia chuckled. She was flattered, but she knew he was flirting with her. "You just don't want to go by yourself, idiot."

He gave her a teasing smile. "Don't tease. You know you're excited for it." He turned to the guy behind the counter and ordered them Rukia's secret carnie indulgence – a corn dog. "Two and a coke, thanks."

He swapped a few coins and retrieved the food from the counter. They went over to one of the benches and sat down. Rukia tucked her skirt under her thighs and picked the corn dog Renji had offered her. "Thanks, Renji."

He shrugged. "I'm just glad you're here. Thanks, Rukia."

They settled down eating. Rukia had a little trouble with the hot food but eventually began to eat it with ease. She found Renji staring at her.

"Whad?" she replied with a mouthful of corndog.

A smirk rose. "Oh, _nothing," _he replied simply and turned away to eat his own.

It took Rukia a few seconds to understand what he was talking about. Her cheeks reddened and she felt suddenly stupid. "IDIOT!" she snapped, whacking Renji hard on his arm. "You are so perverted!"

"You're the one that was eating it so sexually," Renji laughed back. Rukia was suddenly put off eating the corn dog. Her eyes narrowed.

"That's disgusting, Renji."

He gave another laugh. "Sorry. I'll stop. Hurry up and eat it. I won't make fun. Promise."

She gave him a wary look before she lifted the corndog back to her mouth. She stared at him as she nibbled on the side of it. He ignored her gaze and finished his. With the stick left in his mouth he turned to her. Eyes glinting. "Too big to fit in your mouth?"

She threw her corndog in his face. "Alright! That does it!" She stood up and marched off down the pier, her nose in the air as she stormed along. Renji caught up to her quickly, wrapping a lanky arm over her.

Before Rukia could protest, he had slipped his large hand to hers and tugged her forward. She stumbled a little and blew the stubborn bang out of her face. "Where are we going?" she asked.

Renji smiled again. "You'll see." It was the second time that day he said that to her. She wriggled her hand from his. Renji didn't take notice, or acted like he didn't. Instead he asked her to follow him. Rukia rolled her eyes. "I am following you, idiot."

"Good."

They arrived at what Renji was talking about earlier. It was the new ride. It looked like a beast of a thing – an over-sized slingshot machine. Rukia craned her head up to look at the tall structure. _It was enormous! It was almost as high as the Ferris wheel!_ It seemed like a popular ride – there was quite the line-up. It snaked from closed fence all the way past them to the food stalls. _There had to be at least fifty people here._

"I'm not going on that thing."

Renji heard her hesitation and turned to look at her in amusement. "What? Are you scared?"

She stiffened. "_That_." She pointed at it just as the ball shaped cage shot into the air. Piercing screams echoed from the ride as they were ricocheted high into the sky…pausing before the thick straps that held the cage bungeed and brought them bouncing rather high in mid air. "Is not a ride."

Renji suppressed a sigh. "C'mon party pooper. Since when do you back out of things? Let's just go on it. I promise you can hold my hand." He laughed.

She eyed the thing suspiciously. It looked… fun… but it also had that dangerous glint to it. She crossed her arms in an 'X' motion in front of her body. "No way. Don't even think about it."

They stood off in the middle of the pier. Some on lookers watched, but quickly became consumed with whatever they were doing before. A challenging gleam flashed through his dark eyes as he stalked over and offered his hand. "Take a leap of faith, Rukia. After all, that's what the ride is called."

_And he did tell you this earlier, Rukia,_ the little voice inside her head added. _You could at least try it once._

She looked at him squarely in the face and rolled her shoulders back in determination. She ignored his hand (which he dropped casually by his side) and said, "Fine. But I'm not looking when we're up there."

Victory shone through his features, Renji nodded. "Follow me."

They headed up to the very front of the line, ignoring the protests from the patrons waiting for their turn. Renji only turned around and snapped something back. Sitting on a stool, collecting coupons for the ride was Renji's friend, Hisagi. Donned in a dark V-neck tee and dark skinny leg pants he looked particularly dashing. There were females swooning over him in the line behind Rukia. She inwardly smirked.

Hisagi looked up, his bored expression lightening when he spotted them approaching. "Renji! Back so soon for another shift?"

"Heard about the new ride. I'm just here to try it with Rukia."

His dark eyes fell on Rukia who stood timidly by Renji's side. He gave her a wide grin. "Hey, Rukia. It's been a while."

She smiled back to the man. "Hey, Hisagi."

"So…" Hisagi looked back and forth between the two. "Is this another date or something?"

Rukia coughed awkwardly, a tiny blush sketched on her cheeks. Renji shook his head. "Nah. We're just hanging out."

"So it's a date?"

"No!" Rukia replied. "We haven't seen each other for a while, Hisagi. It's not a date."

"Rukia stated that to me earlier," Renji added. Did she just hear a little disappointment?

Hisagi smiled knowingly. She didn't like that smile. It was like he didn't believe what they were saying. But before she could tell him anything, Hisagi stood up and went to take the current couple out of the cage as the ride gently lowered. The two girls walked out a little wobbly, their hair wild and ruffled from the wind. "How did you like it, girls?" Hisagi flashed them a flirtatious grin. The girls giggled and swooned. This time Rukia rolled her eyes.

He opened the gate and the two girls skipped off, sending pretty glances over their shoulders. Hisagi left the gate open. "Sorry guys!" He called out to the rest of the onlookers. "These two are my special customers – they're on a date!"

Rukia began stuttering, "We're n-not on a da-date-!"

Renji grabbed her forearm and they both walked past Hisagi and up the ramp to the cage. Hisagi closed the gate behind them and followed them both to help strap them in. Renji knew what he was doing – he buckled himself in his chair. Two thick straps went over his shoulders and another around his waist.

"I'll take that for you," Hisagi said. He leant over Rukia and plucked off her school bag from her shoulders. He proceeded to buckle her in – retightening the straps so they fit snuggly against her body. He ruffled her hair – earning an adorable grimace in return and laughed. He looked a little silly carrying her school bag on him. He reached out for the black padded bar above their heads and locked it into place in front of them. Rukia gripped the bar as if her life depended on it. Renji chuckled and Hisagi closed the door of the cage.

The chairs swung a little and Rukia's heart hammered in her chest. _It rotated in the cage as well?_ Oh god, she instantly wanted to back out. Renji reached over and grabbed her hand. "Chill, Rukia. You'll be fine."

Fine? FINE? She was going to _die_ on this.

She closed her eyes as she heard the countdown being called over some absurd rave music. She tried to calm herself. How was Renji acting so calm on this? She refused to move her hands away from the bar. What happens if something goes wrong? What if the cage snapped off the straps and sent them to their death? What if the cage door opened and she gets sucked out of her seat? _Don't think of that._

"…Three…! Two…! One…!"

Rukia braced herself and held her breath in. _Oh god._ She made a little squeaking noise. But the cage didn't move – she didn't fall to her death. She peaked out of one eye and then another in confusion.

"Renji, wh-"

And they shot off. Rukia screamed at the top of her lungs as they ricocheted up into the air, spinning. The wind roared past her ears as the force of the cage pinned her back into her seat. Sky mixed with the distancing ground. The sun flashed dizzily past. The horizon tipped on its side. At one point She saw the sky below them and the ground above. Her eyes watered as the wind burned her sight. She squeezed them shut and forced them open again. Her hair and skirt were flying everywhere. The school shirt rode up. As they rocketed to the sky – the pounding music was nothing more than a distant song. Renji was laughing. The bungee straps tightened and they paused in mid air…

The cage fell back down and the shift of gravity made an explosion of butterflies attack her stomach. She cried out – both in fear and laughter as they span around. Renji had let go of her hand a while back. They were bounced back up into the sky again and this time Rukia slowly let go of the bar.

It was…actually _fun_.

The ride lasted for several more moments, as they were sent high into the air and back down again. She gripped her buckles – and managed to lift her arms up with Renji at one point. Then all too soon the cage slowed down and they were lowered gently back to the platform.

Hisagi opened the cage door as he grinned widely at the both of them. "Well? How was it? I bet all of Karakura could hear you screaming," he chuckled at Rukia.

They walked out onto the platform. Rukia wobbled around like a newborn calf. When her legs stopped acting like jelly-o, she punched Hisagi on the arm. "Son of a bitch!" she said. Hisagi just laughed and ruffled her bird-nest like hair. She pouted, wiping away the tears that still stung her eyes from the ride.

"Aw. No need to be so sad, Rukia. You had Renji there with you to hold your hand."

"I wasn't crying! The wind burned my eyes!" she replied stubbornly. Hisagi handed her school bag back, his eyes twinkling. Both men laughed at this. Then she felt it.

Renji's hand on her ass.

He leant down, his warm palm against her left cheek, a thumb grazed across the stitching of her panty line. His voice was husky as he murmured into her ear. His hot breath tickled her cheek. "You should fix your skirt, Rukia." And he proceeded to pinch her ass.

Rukia yelped and shoved him away, flattening her skirt as she went. She bumped into Hisagi's hard chest. Both men stood behind and in front of her, giving her mischievous looks. Rukia's face was burning as she shoved both of them back at arms length. _Oh god what did she get herself into?_ "Idiots!" she snapped. They both laughed – they loved teasing her. She growled and stormed off, her face bright red. They _always _played tricks on her together. Damn them. _Damn them to hell!_

"See you later, Rukia!" Hisagi called merrily after her. "Maybe you can come back next summer and work here some more!"

She returned her answer by flipping him the bird. Renji jogged up to her. And she immediately turned on her heel – away from him. He waved back to Hisagi calling out that he starts his shift back tomorrow. He followed her for a while.

"Did you like the ride?" he asked, trying to lighten the mood.

"No."

A smile tugged. "Aw, c'mon, Rukia. I know you liked it."

"The death-like experience or the part where you grabbed my ass in public?"

He pretended to think about it. "Both? I'm joking! I'm sorry – I couldn't pass the moment up. It was up and your panties were showing-"

"Oh my god. Shut up right now."

"I could have said nothing and let you walk around with your ass hanging out."

"You could have _said_ something," she retaliated coolly. "And not grope me in front of everyone _and _Hisagi."

"Moot point."

"No. No 'moot point'."

"Would you let me make it up to you?" He pouted. _Yes,_ Renji Abarai _actually_ pouted. A little. "I'll do anything you want."

"…anything?"

He nodded. "You name it. I'll do it."

"Hmm…" Her eyes flashed deviously.

* * *

><p><em>A few moments later…<em>

Renji glared at her. "_This_ is stupid."

Rukia grinned. "Oh? So what ever came to '_making it up to me'_ with '_I'll do anything you want'_?"

Renji crossed his arms over his chest. He was extremely pissed off, but he bit his tongue. Rukia couldn't help but to chuckle.

He was currently sitting in one of the game stalls looking very…topless. Perched up on a stool he sulked back at her. His jacket and shirt along with her school bag were on the ground next to Rukia. Underneath him was a large pool of blue jelly. He looked quite cut – black tribal tattoos snaked their way over his pecks and abs – causing one too many stares from female passer-byers. A crowd was beginning to form. Rukia's eyes gleamed in revenge. _The more the merrier!_

Rukia stood behind the marker with one hand on her hip and holding up a very creamy looking pie in the other. She smirked victoriously.

"Have anything to say before you're embarrassed for the rest of your life, Abarai Renji?"

"I hope you _miss_," he spat venomously, though his eyes twinkled wickedly.

Rukia's eyes moved to the big fat target beside his head. She twirled the pie playfully in her hand. Renji pushed his chin up. _There was no way she could hit the target from there. _He smirked at her.

Rukia's eyes narrowed at the silent challenge. She squared her shoulders and raised the pie behind her. _Concentrate Rukia. You. Must. Humiliate. Him!_ More girls arrived. It was her prefect chance to get revenge. _Serves you right, you perverted bastard!_ She aimed and in one quick motion, she threw the pie-

And smacked him right in the face.

Laughter roared from the crowd as dripping cream fell from his head. Renji growled and flicked the sweet substance from his eyes to see Rukia launching another attack –

The target was hit hard and the seat beneath Renji buckled and dropped. He cried out and before he knew it, he was flung into a pool full of blue jelly. He surface seconds later with cream and jelly chunks sliding down his body. He grimaced at the sticky sensation all over his skin and glared at Rukia – only to get another face full of cream pie.

Right. That does it.

He submerged from the tank, cream and jelly sliding off his chest and seeping into his jeans. Rukia's eyes narrowed as the girls around her almost fainted and swooned at the 'beast' in front of them. She grabbed another pie. "Take one more step, Renji and I won't hesitate to throw this at you-"

He stalked towards her and Rukia had no choice but to run. She threw the pie anyway and it splattered against his ribcage. He ignored it and flashed out his large hand to grab her.

Rukia immediately struggled, laughter bubbling her mouth as her eyes darkened at him. "Don't you dare-"

He picked her up before she knew what was even happening - coating her school clothes in the sweet stickiness. She kicked and slapped him, slipping against his taught skin. "Renji! Put me down! PUT ME DOWN NOW!"

"I don't hear a _'please'_," he teased and went over to the tank and tossed her in.

Instead of screaming, Rukia sucked in a breath. A second later she was submerged in the heavy liquid. She squirmed in the wetness and pushed herself up. The surface bobbed just below her breasts, as she was soaked head to toe in jelly. Her arms above water, she glared heatedly at him. He was leaning over the side on his elbows, licking his fingers clean and giving her a very satisfied look.

"B-BASTARD!" she shouted, slipping and struggling in the jelly. Renji gave her a heated gaze. _He was dead. _"I AM GOING TO KILL YOU ABARAI RENJI!"

Jelly was dripping from her head, making her hair stick to the sides of her face. She pushed her bang away and stormed forward, jelly sloshing around her as she did. She pushed herself out of the tub and awkwardly made her way out – with no help from the _idiot_ at all. Then she grabbed another pie and squished it right in his face.

Before Renji could even wipe the pie from his face _again_, Rukia had picked up their belongings and was bolting down the pier, shouting profanities behind her.

* * *

><p>They were hosed down afterwards and were given some spare clothes from Renji's boss – some old carnival uniforms – to change into. The sun was setting when Rukia walked out of the office. Her hair was wet but she was clean and dry with no traces of food left on her. Renji was leaning against his bike, wearing his leather jacket and smoking a cigarette calmly. He smirked at Rukia and she glared heatedly back.<p>

"Let's take you home," he said, flicking the cigarette onto the floor and stubbing it out with his boot. Rukia couldn't agree more. He shrugged on his helmet and tossed Rukia her own. She jumped on behind him, tying a knot on the plastic bag that held their wet clothes in. She pressed the bag between her legs against his back and wrapped her arms around his waist. The Harley rumbled low and throaty beneath them and Renji pulled out into traffic. The ride was long and peaceful. Rukia's mind wandered to Ichigo. Then it wandered to jelly. She smiled into Renji's back. They drove back to her school and Renji pulled up along the pathway. She slipped off her seat and took her helmet off. She handed it back to him.

"You sure you don't want me to drive you home?" he asked again over the top of the engine.

"No. It's fine. I'm meeting someone here," she replied. She waved goodbye and began to walk. Renji watched her leave for a moment before he turned back down the street. _Whatever._

The last bell had rung ages ago. Students had already left to go home. Only a few trickled down the street - hardly any if that. Rukia quickly picked up her pace, checking the time on her phone. _Where did the day go? _She hoped that he was there.

She broke into a jog as she made her way down to her bus stop. The black skirt and black top was heavy against her. She eventually had to bend down and take her shoes off her feet - her socks were soaked and it was uncomfortable wearing her shoes without them. _Did he leave already?_ She hoped not.

When she turned the corner she saw him. He was standing at the bus shelter, eyes closed and arms crossed. He looked like he was sleeping. Rukia took in the chance to stare in wonder at his features. She loved that mop of wild copper hair, that god like face and body... She felt the warm hum of his reiatsu in the air as she walked closer. She slowly reached her own reiatsu out and gently touched his.

Ichigo's eyes snapped open and he looked up. They were warm and bright and she was reminded how quickly she missed them. Her heart rattled in her chest as he took a step forward to meet her. He had waited for her an hour longer today.

"Hey..." He matched her smile with his own. It was rather fitting on his face. Rukia couldn't help but to feel the little butterflies spreading in her stomach. "Ready to walk home together?"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: By the way - Akuma means 'devil'. I hope that's the right Japanese translation/words ^^''**

**First time I ever thought Renji would be absolutely sexy - covered in cream and jelly ~ UNF!**

**Ichigo: Mmm...maybe we can try that together one day, Rukia...**

**Rukia: *blushes* Ichigo! Not in front of everyone!**

**Ichigo: *corners her* We'll do it in private...no clothes _allowed_.**

**Me: *nosebleed explosion***

**Rukia: Please review guys! I-Ichigo! NOT THERE-!**


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